An Unforgettable Sitch
by iycewing
Summary: 3 months after the electrical tower incident, Kim and Shego are forced into an alliance after learning that every villain is after the both of them now. The unlikely pair learn to work together when finding out DNAmy has something especially evil planned. Will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs!
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Hope you enjoy the story!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Prologue_

A pale green woman sat silently against the ruins of an electrical tower. Her neon green and midnight-black uniform hung in scraps loosely over her fit figure, concealing the many cuts her body adopted.

Her once smooth and wavy hair stuck up in several places and clung to her wet face. With dull emerald eyes, she gazed weakly through the strands of hair covering her sharp face.

The downpour of rain still splattered mercilessly down on the woman, making her shiver slightly. Tiny sparks of electricity surrounded her body, and shallow puddles started forming under her toned legs.

A thin stream of smoke rose lazily off her body, and small shocks caused her to twitch every few seconds. She winced as her chest tightened with every shaky breath, causing her to cough sporadically.

She stared with glazed eyes at her reflection dawning the growing pool of water beneath her. With a shaky gloved hand, the villainess wiped away the dark blood that was staining her vision.

Drops of blood dribbled from her forehead, painting her reflection in the rainwater crimson.

Pillars of stone still crumbled around her, and the metal beams supporting the electrical tower groaned loudly under the strain.

It would collapse soon, the woman understood that.

She grit her teeth as another creak pounded her ears.

She wanted to move. To scream. To break everything within a 10-mile radius of the tower and set the world ablaze with her fury of green plasma.

But she could barely comprehend what just happened. Despite her brain demanding she get up and move away from the unsteady tower, her legs would not comply.

Still numb from the 200,000-volt shock and the emotional turmoil, the pale thief could only squeeze her eyes shut through the pain.

Through the chaotic events that replayed in a frenzy in her foggy mind, a single coherent thought formed. It was as clear as the scorch marks adorning her pale green skin.

_Kim Possible tried to kill me. _

The raven-haired woman held her still-bleeding head in her shaking hands. The cut on her bruised forehead glistened with red sweat that was washed away almost immediately by the pouring rain.

Her weak body shook violently as her heart began to ache with grief that wrecked her emotions.

She sobbed silently, but no tears fell.

Waves of rage and pain crashed through the walls of her fragile shore, shattering the once-undying fire that burned within.

But through the blind anger, she could only feel one thing. Betrayal.

It hurt.

It hurt worse than any punch she'd taken.

It hurt worse than the electricity still coursing through her pulsing veins.

She didn't even know why it hurt so much; it just did.

She had never tried to kill Kim. Ever. Sure she'd injure her, but nothing too serious.

The image of Kim smiling as the tower shocked her with enough volts to kill the average human still haunted her mind.

Distant screams and firm orders rattled her from her hazy thoughts. The base of the tower, still barely standing above her, gave another groan as it swayed slightly.

Growing footsteps and barking dogs caused a mini earthquake for the green-clad woman.

The ground quaked slightly and the wail of police sirens pierced through the rainy night.

She sat still, the rage that threatened to boil over dissipating into an odd feeling of defeat.

A shrieking feminine voice shook the core of the tower solely with its desperation.

"Shego! SHEGO! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Kim's screams made the police sirens and helicopter propellers sound like mere whispers.

"SHEGO!" Her voice grew louder and more cracked as she neared the now-alert villain. Her voice sounded hoarse and raspy as if she'd been crying recently.

Shego glanced at the creaking tower and felt a tsunami of adrenaline pump through her numb limbs.

With unexpected energy, she heaved herself to her feet and felt a migraine slam into her head. The world spun rapidly as she took a tentative step forward, and Shego could feel hot bile rise to her dry throat. Pushing the vomit that was threatening to spill over down, she forced her sore legs to move.

Only Kim's clear pleading voice gave her the focus she needed to trudge through the bracken and into the dead of night.

Shego ran like hell to the opposite direction of Kim's voice, desperate to get away from the redhead.

She ran. Her destination was uncertain, just like the rest of her life. But she kept running anyway.

Running from the tower. From her home. From Drakken. From Kim.

And she kept running until the tower was only a speck in the distance.

Until the smell of burnt grass was just a lingering afterthought.

Until the sirens and screams were barely an echo long-forgotten.

And until the image of Kim's smiling face as the world crumbled around her, was nothing more than a faded memory.

She tried to forget all that. She tried so hard.

But some things are just unforgettable.

0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0

Kim roughly shoved Global Justice officers to the side as she forced her way through the crowd of shocked people. Her olive eyes widened to see the electrical tower collapse in front of her.

The support beams and metal poles clashed as the tower's base caved in, and wires were torn apart as the whole building crumbled to dust.

Where Shego once sat, was now a mountain of shattered pieces of iron and stone.

Falling to her hands and knees, the hero screamed in pure agony as grief overwhelmed her petite body. She clenched the burned grass in her gloved fists until she felt her nails pierce through the fabric.

"What have I done?" Kim's voice was barely a whisper, her low voice raw from screaming and crying. She ignored the people anxiously running around her, coaxing her to move away from the wreckage. She could hear Ron's voice calling out to her, and she felt his hand lay gently on her shoulder.

But nothing else really mattered at the moment.

"What have I done?" Kim repeated a little louder, her body shaking with every rattled breath.

Through the rain and tears that streamed endlessly down her grief-stricken face, Kim latched on to one fading thought.

_Shego's gone because of me. She's gone. _

Her sobs became louder as she kept repeating Shego's name, and her guilt dragged her into darkness.

_And it's all my fault._

* * *

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	2. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Rating: PG-13

Notes: This will eventually lead to KiGo! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, just click away. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going!**

* * *

_Chapter 1_

**Beep beep beep**

Kim jolted awake, sitting upright as she glanced around her surroundings in confusion.

The persistent beeping of her alarm clock startled her, and she came to the realization she was still at home.

She was in bed. She wasn't at the tower. She was safe.

Kim slammed her fist on the off button of the noise-maker, quietly repeating to herself like a broken record that she wasn't at the tower. Glancing at the clock, she tried to control her breathing.

_6:30 AM_

Cold beads of sweat laced the edges of her forehead as the events of her nightmare replayed in her mind. No matter how hard she tried to forget the incident, she remembered each detail vividly.

It was the same nightmare that haunted Kim every night for the past 3 months.

Kim sat in a daze and thought about that night, the night she kicked Shego into an electrical tower.

The night Shego went missing.

_Oh god. Shego._

It's been 3 months since the tower incident. 3 months since Kim took a break off hero work.

3 months since anyone has ever seen Shego.

Feeling a fresh wave of guilt rising steadily, Kim shook her head roughly to clear her thoughts.

With a loud yawn, the teen hero arched her back and rubbed her tired eyes. Her muscles felt stiff and sore, most likely caused by thrashing in her sleep, and a massive headache made her head throb.

The pale autumn sunlight shone weakly through Kim's bedroom window. Sighing deeply, the redhead basked in the mild warmth the sun provided.

Senior year of high school had just begun, and Kim already missed the blazing summer heat.

With a swift glance around her room, she noticed her white pillow wrinkled and hanging off the edge.

Twisting her head to look next to her large bed, she saw her light pink blanket laying in a crumpled heap on the carpeted bedroom floor.

_I must've been moving a lot more than usual last night._

Jumping to her feet, Kim cursed softly as she tripped over something soft. She bent over to bring a worn-out Pandaroo plush to her face.

Clutching the stuffed animal tightly to her chest, she snatched her other fallen items and proceeded to make her bed.

Kim dragged herself over to a mirror and stared at how sleep-deprived she looked. Her jade green eyes were wide and slightly red around the edges, and heavy bags lined the underside.

Bright red hair mimicked flames, as tufts of tangled hair stuck up unevenly in all places.

She flicked her tongue over her dry lips, noticing how cracked and chipped they felt.

Her oversized neon pink t-shirt hung loosely off one shoulder, and her lavender sleeping shorts were crooked.

She was the living definition of a zombie.

Or at least that's what Ron would describe her as if he was here right now.

Kim quickly showered and changed into some ripped baggy jeans. She slipped on a loose tank top and pulled a thin blue hoodie over her head.

Not bothering to apply makeup, the redhead ran a brush through her wild fiery mane and head downstairs.

The strong smell of cinnamon pancakes filled Kim's nose as soon as she stepped into the dining room. Her father sat at the table holding a cup of coffee, his nose buried in a newspaper.

"Morning Kimmie-cub," Dr. James Possible greeted warmly, glancing at his daughter briefly before being absorbed by the article he was reading.

"Good Morning Kim!" Dr. Ann Possible called from the kitchen.

Kim smiled softly and greeted her dad before peeking into the kitchen.

"Hey mom," the teen grinned as she saw a plate already filled with pancakes.

"Sleep well?" Ann inquired with a sideways glance at her daughter. She knew Kim was still plagued with nightmares and would oftentimes scream in her sleep.

Even a blind person could see that the young hero wasn't getting enough rest.

"Better than yesterday," Kim lied as she filled a tall glass with orange juice.

Her nightmares never got better. If anything, they seemed to be getting worse.

Of course, she wouldn't tell her mom that. Moms tend to worry about things a bit more than they should.

Turning down the stove's heat, Ann took a moment to study her daughter.

Kim moved with a sluggishness that was never present before the incident. Her olive eyes drooped slightly, and she had to stifle a yawn every few seconds.

Deciding to not push the subject more, the neurosurgeon pushed a stack of pancakes in Kim's direction.

Kim grabbed the plate and juice and headed back to the table, careful not to trip over anything.

"OOOO PANCAKES!" Jim and Tim squealed as they tumbled down the stairs and nearly crashed straight into Kim.

Kim stumbled slightly but managed to keep her food from spilling. "Watch it Tweebs!" She growled, her eyebrows furrowed angrily.

"Someone's grouchy," the boys muttered as they sprinted into the kitchen.

Kim simply rolled her eyes and plopped into a chair across from her dad.

Glancing at her watch, the clock read 7:18.

"You ok?" James asked softly as he looked at Kim curiously from his paper.

"Yeah I'm fine," Kim replied tersely before turning back to her now-cold pancakes.

The rocket scientist looked at Kim for a second longer before shrugging slightly and returning back to his reading.

The teen ate a few small bites of her food before briskly leaving out the front door. She waved goodbye to her parents before slinging a heavy backpack over her shoulder and closing the door behind her.

A nice peaceful walk to school with her best friend was just what she needed-

_Well shit_

Her thoughts were interrupted by the shouting of reporters. A crowd of around 8-10 people holding microphones, notebooks, and cameras surrounded her house. They noticed her out the front door and immediately perked up as if they were puppies begging for attention from their mother.

She checked around in all directions, scowling slightly as she realized cars were blocking all her escape routes.

With a sigh, Kim put on a smile and walked confidently to the interviewers.

She had a reputation to keep after all.

As Kim waved at the strangers, they immediately started hollering out questions. After a minute or so filled with a cacophony of incoherent sounds, they all looked at Kim expectantly.

Some held up their pens to their notepads as if they thought Kim could understand anything anyone said.

"I'm afraid I can only answer a few questions since I can't be late for school," Kim said calmly, her face still plastered with a smile.

Before the reporters could shout out questions again, the teen hero swiftly held a hand up to stop them.

"One at a time please," she explained through gritted teeth.

She pointed to a young brunette with blonde streaks in her hair and a blue suit, nodding for her to ask her question.

"Ms. Possible, are you still on break from hero work?" The lady questioned as she held up a large, black microphone in Kim's direction.

"Yes. I believe everyone needs a break every once in a while," Kim answered and pointed to an older guy with glasses standing in the front of the group.

"But who will save the world while you're on a break?" The bald reporter asked.

"I'm not the only hero that exists. There are plenty of amazing ordinary people and other heroes protecting the world," Kim explained exasperatedly. She couldn't believe how oblivious these reporters were sometimes.

Pointing to a short blonde woman in the back, the redhead checked her watch again.

_7:35_

She'd only have time for a few more questions.

"Ms. Possible, how do you feel about Shego's death?" Every reporter stared at Kim, eagerly waiting for her response. The cool, fall air seemed to drop by 30 degrees, and the tension was almost tangible.

Kim's false smile dropped and her stomach twisted itself into knots. It took 2 tries for the redhead to open her dry mouth and speak.

"Ma'am, Shego. Is. Not. Dead." Kim replied in a low, irked tone, emphasizing each word carefully. She already knew where this conversation was heading.

"But she's been missing for 3 months now," another cameraman in a dark shirt pointed out.

"Was a body ever found?" Kim retorted, staring heatedly at the people already ruining her day. She felt horrible and it wasn't even 8 AM yet.

"No, but no one has any proof that she's alive either," the blonde reporter argued.

"Shego is not dead," Kim repeated steadily, her breathing getting more rattled and uneven by the second.

"Ms. Possible, you still didn't answer the question-"

"SHEGO IS NOT DEAD!" Kim screamed as she shoved her way past the stunned reporters. Some began writing things down, and Kim ignored the persisting cameras following her escape. Tears began to glisten in her tired eyes as she stomped to Ron's house, the interviewers thankfully gone by the time she got to his front lawn.

Ron was outside pacing in from of his house nervously. They were going to be late for school if Kim was any later.

He wore a purple jersey with white stripes and baggy cargo pants. His backpack was unzipped a bit on the side, revealing the sea of torn papers and opened textbooks inside. Spotting Kim, he grinned widely and waved her over.

"Hey KP!" Ron enthused once Kim jogged to his side. With long, lanky arms, he enveloped her into a quick bear hug. He immediately noticed her reddening eyes that darted back and forth nervously, as if she was expecting something to attack her.

"Hey Ron," Kim sighed, fatigue dragging her voice down. Checking her watch again, she blinked before pulling Ron's arm and walking briskly to school. "We're gonna be late if we don't hurry," she explained when she noticed Ron's surprised expression.

"Uh yeah right. KP you ok?" Ron asked as they half-walked half-jogged down the sidewalk.

"Yeah, I'm fine. More reporters were outside my house and they pissed me off. It's no big," Kim said honestly as she picked up her pace.

Ron was her best friend since preschool, and they even dated for a few months before. Despite a romantic relationship not working out, they always told each other everything.

"Can't that count as harassment?" Ron gave a light laugh as he tried to match his speed with Kim.

Rufus, a light pink naked mole-rat, hopped out of Ron's pants pocket. He scurried onto Kim's shoulder and gave a few mock air punches.

"Eh, they'll be gone eventually," Kim smiled when she saw the mole-rat make some funny faces.

"What were they asking about anyway?" Ron asked with a raised eyebrow, unaware Kim was trying to avoid the topic.

"Shego's "death," Kim used her fingers to make air quotations, frowning deeply. She made her strides longer, wanting to get away from any more questions.

"Kim, why are you still so upset about Shego's "death?" Ron made air quotations with his fingers as well. "I mean, Shego's a criminal, the enemy," he pointed out, panting from the early morning jogging.

Kim thought about that for a moment, raising a hand to scratch her head. Ron was right, Shego was a wanted criminal in 11 countries. She's committed more crimes than nacos eaten by Ron- and that's saying a lot. Despite this, the petite hero couldn't ignore the guilt and shame that overwhelmed her every time she thought of the pale thief.

Kim shrugged and waved her hand to brush off the question. How could she answer Ron if she didn't even know herself?

As the school's flag waved proudly in the distance, Kim slowed her pace as she remembered something. Ron noticed this and looked at her quizzically, slowing down as well.

She reached into her back pocket and whipped out her Kimmunicator, a small handheld device with a black screen and many intricate buttons.

Punching a few of them, she held the device out to hear it ring once. On the second ring, an image of Wade popped up.

"Hey Kim, you called?" Wade asked as his skilled hands hovered over his large keyboard, ready to search for anything on Kim's request. Ever since Kim took a break from hero work, Wade got used to answering calls from her, instead of the other way around.

"Hey Wade, yeah any signs of Shego?" Kim stared at her screen intently, allowing Ron to gently guide her down the street.

"Give me a minute to check for you," Wade said as his fingers typed furiously. The 14-year old genius already knew this question was coming, she asked every day.

He understood Kim still felt guilty about Shego's disappearance, but no one could've guessed how badly it affected her daily life.

Ron now held Kim by the arm, dragging her petite figure through the school parking lot. Her eyes never left the Kimmunicator's small screen as she watched Wade frown in frustration. Kim tripped over an obvious tree root, and she would've fallen over had Ron not been holding her up. She grinned sheepishly at his amused face before turning her attention back to Wade.

After another moment, Wade shook his head and pried his eyes off the computer screen. "Sorry Kim, but I've checked the news in every continent and the villain forums. No one knows where she is," he explained to a heartbroken Kim.

"That's ok, thanks anyway Wade," Kim tried her best to sound upbeat as the teens reached the front of the high school. She hung up and stashed the device in her back pants pocket, sighing for the 100th time today.

Ron didn't notice her defeated expression and grinned when he saw Monique open the school's wide doors. She waved her hand hurriedly, beckoning for the pair of teens to get inside the building.

"Get your asses in here! Chemistry starts in 2 minutes!" Monique demanded in a low whisper. One hand was planted firmly on her hip while the other held the door open for them.

Ron bounded up the stairs to greet the fashion diva, while Kim followed more slowly behind. She chuckled at Monique's mock glare and pretended to look terrified, holding up her hands in an "I surrender" position.

Monique shook her head with a light laugh and pulled the unsuspecting redhead through the doors just as the bell rang.

* * *

**Please review! **

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	3. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Rating: PG-13

Notes: This will eventually lead to KiGo! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, just click away. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going!**

* * *

_Chapter 2_

A young, raven-haired woman lay comfortably on a blue beach chair. Against the pearly white sand on the empty beach, she stuck out like a sore thumb. The gentle lapping of waves against the rocky shore filled the atmosphere with a sense of tranquility. With each crash of the crystal ocean water, a light spray of mist sparkled briefly before dissipating in the air.

Shego's smooth legs were crossed at the ankles, and both hands covered her exposed midriff. She wore a two-piece green and black bathing suit, and dark sunglasses covered her emerald eyes.

The blazing tropical sun shone brightly down on the small beach, and not a single cloud painted the clear sky.

Shego sighed contently, the low whistle of the wind and water is the only sound for miles.

It was so quiet. So peaceful.

No Drakken ranting for hours about his dumb failed evil plots. No Global Justice or police officers constantly trying to track her down. No Team Possible setting every one of Drakken's secret lairs on fire.

_No Kim._

Her mind steered itself into thinking about that dark, dreadful night 3 months ago. Shego winced inwardly as she instinctively lifted a hand up to touch a part of her back.

The burns, cuts, and scorch marks healed rather quickly after the incident. Having superpowers definitely had its perks, especially since she would never have survived that shock if she were a regular person. She ran her fingertips lightly over the faint scars adorning her shoulder blades.

Sure, her injuries since healed almost completely. But as Shego remembered Kim's smiling face as the electrical tower crumbled around her, she realized some things might never heal.

A loud ring startled Shego from her thoughts. She pulled a black cellphone out from underneath her and tilted her head slightly to check the caller ID.

_Drakken. Again._

Rolling her eyes, Shego shut off her phone and relaxed back into her chair to continue sunbathing. No one was going to ruin her already terrible mood.

After a few moments, her phone screen beeped again and lit up to notify her that her voicemail box was full. Muttering profanities under her breath, she reluctantly sat up and checked her notifications.

_134 missed calls from Drakken. 60 voicemails from Drakken. 234 text messages from what do you know? Drakken. _

All she wanted was some peace and quiet, and to be alone somewhere warm. A break from life was all she needed right now. Was that too much to ask of the universe?

Shego shook her head bitterly but decided to check one of Drakken's messages anyway. It was about time she did.

She squinted against the glare of the burning sun on her phone screen and read the most recent message.

"_Your last paycheck has been sent to your bank account. Thanks. _

_P.S. If you come home soon, please stop by the store and pick up more Coco-Moo. I ran out of it last month."_

Her frown deepened as she focused on the first part of the text, disregarding the second half entirely.

_Last paycheck? Since when did I agree to end the contract?_

Shego knew Drakken wasn't stupid, no matter what his actions and words spoke otherwise. She figured the blue scientist came to the conclusion she was still alive since he had still tried to contact her regularly for the past 3 months.

_He won't last one day without me._

Shego tried to ignore the irony of that thought, considering Drakken was apparently still alive after she ditched.

No, actually scratch that. She didn't "ditch." She just took a much-needed vacation.

_Wait. Is this goon firing me?_

Feeling her temper rise steadily, she gripped the sides of her beach chair until her knuckles turned a ghostly white.

A loud seagull cawed repeatedly above her, and Shego felt a splat hit the top of her head. It didn't hurt, but her anger had already tipped over the edge.

With an outraged shriek, she hurled a glowing green ball of plasma at the sky, purposely missing the small bird.

Her hair was now stained white with bird poop, and she snarled at no one in particular.

_I can't believe the shit the universe is throwing at me right now. Literally._

Shego stood up abruptly and flung her sunglasses on the empty lounge chair.

_The shit I have to go through every day is unreal._

Stomping off heatedly to a quaint beach shack, she quickly changed out of her swimsuit into a green t-shirt and black skinny jeans.

_Well, shit happens._

Shego hurriedly washed out her long midnight hair before any more corny shit jokes floated to her mind.

_I don't give a shit. _

Shego paused in toweling off her soaked hair and mentally scolded herself.

_Ok, that's it. All this shit is getting to my head._

Letting out an exasperated scream, Shego slapped her forehead and sat down on her thin mattress.

She looked around the small cabin and wondered if this is what insane people felt? This feeling of loneliness? Of emptiness? Is that what made them lose any speck of sanity they once had?

_Well, I must be insane to have stayed with Drakken for all these years. _

Shego pulled out her phone and stared at the last text he sent her. A few minutes passed and the silence of solidarity finally washed through her.

She looked up to gaze at herself in a mirror, hanging on the other side of the shack. Thin, lanky arms hung weakly down her side, and only now did Shego accept how weak she felt. Despite sunbathing for hours on end each day, the young woman's skin seemed paler than before. Her bright green eyes lacked their usual charm and spark, and a deep frown crinkled her sunken face.

She blinked slowly before realizing-

She wanted to go home.

She didn't want to face Drakken. Or Global Justice.

_Or…Kim._

Shego gulped as she imagined seeing the teen hero again. The pain of that night was as vivid as the shit on her head earlier.

_Damn it._

Forcing down the emotions that started to simmer, the pale thief steeled her expression and threw some things into a forest green duffel bag.

While packing, Shego punched herself mentally. How could she let a dumb kid make her feel so weak? And scared? Seriously? When did she become so emotional all of a sudden?

_I really am going insane._

Shego scoffed at the idea of her being scared of Kim Possible. She wasn't scared of anything. Especially not of stupid teen heroes who think they're better than everyone else just because they're on the right side of the law.

Kicking open the front door, Shego locked everything up and walked around to the back of the shack where a dark blue hovercraft sat untouched. It lay hidden underneath the dark foliage, the shade keeping the metal exterior cool. Tossing her bag onto the passenger seat of the ship, she turned around to scan the beach she was lounging on an hour earlier.

She'd definitely miss the Drakken-free days she spent alone with her thoughts. It felt amazing to not have a headache every 5 minutes. Inhaling the salty ocean spray one last time, Shego swung a few large banana leaves aside to hop into her hovercraft.

She pushed a few buttons and left the ground with ease, her ascent into the sky as smooth as butter. Glancing back at the private island that was swiftly fading from her view, the villainess sighed wistfully as she punched a few coordinates into an automated map.

_I can't wait to deal with more shit._

She blinked as she realized she just made another shit joke unintentionally. Her screams echoed through the night as the aircraft sailed over the glistening ocean towards her home.

Middleton.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego awoke from her light sleep to hear the persistent beeping of her hovercraft. Clusters of houses and buildings came into view as she neared Middleton. The sun's rays were weak compared to the island, and a cool autumn breeze swirled through the air.

She turned off auto-pilot as she gripped the joystick and yoke, slowing down to start her descent. Flipping a few switches, the villainess switched on incognito mode and landed her hovercraft silently in a parking garage designed for aircrafts.

Shego glanced at the time before snatching her bag and hopping out.

_2:47 PM_

She decided she had enough time to nap a bit before running some errands. Her apartment had been left empty for 3 months, so there probably wasn't even anything edible left to eat.

A short walk was usually all it took for Shego to get to her apartment from the garage. However, the raven-haired thief had spent an extra 20 minutes crawling through dark alleyways and leaping from roofs to trees.

Shego used all of her sneaking skills to keep from being spotted by anyone, taking extra time to stay under the cover of trees or shadows. Hey, if she was going to reappear on the face of the Earth, she wanted to make a bomb-ass entrance.

Once inside her apartment, Shego carelessly flung her duffel bag across the living room. The bag was crumpled slightly due to the beating it took earlier in the day.

Dust floated through the air lazily and cobwebs clung to the edges of her furniture. Coughing from the dirtiness of her own home, Shego walked into her bedroom before slamming the door shut.

She flopped face-first onto her bed, not bothering to pick up the green sheets or black pillows that lay sprawled out on the hardwood floor. She knew she'd probably kick them off within 5 minutes of dreaming anyway. It wasn't worth the effort to do an action that was going to be undone in a few minutes.

Sighing deeply, Shego clutched the sides of her bed, waiting for the inevitable nightmares to begin. After all, they had never failed to come for the past 3 months straight.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim sat tiredly at her desk, watching the school day slip by with half-open eyes. An older male teacher stood at the front of the classroom, writing numbers down on a chalkboard. He was explaining something about gravitational energy and how it correlates to elastic potential energy.

_Physics is so not the drama._

The class practically cheered as the school bell started ringing, signaling the end of their torture. Everyone immediately leaped out of their seats and started chatting amongst each other about plans for the weekend.

"Don't forget to read pages 125-137 in your textbook by Monday, have a nice weekend," the teacher called out to the retreating students. He grunted something inaudible when he saw that no one really cared to listen to what he said. He started erasing the formulas he was writing down earlier on the chalkboard.

Kim was one of the last people to leave the classroom, waiting for the initial crowd of excited students to exit. Rampaging seniors was something she didn't want to deal with right now. She stepped out into the hallway, avoiding the judging looks from her peers as she dragged her feet to her locker.

Not really paying attention to where she was walking, the petite redhead yelped as she bumped into something rather hard. Or rather, someone.

"You and Stoppable cut it pretty close with the bell this morning, eh Ms. Possible?" Kim looked up to see Mr. Barkin, the school principal, glaring at her with a hard expression. His large chest was puffed out slightly, and a brown clipboard was nestled underneath a thick arm.

"Sorry, Mr. Barkin. It won't happen again," Kim said with a deadpan tone. She was cranky and sleep-deprived, no one could really blame her for being in a horrible mood.

"It better not. Otherwise, the only thing you'll be saving is detention," Mr. Barkin replied gruffly before marching down the hall.

Kim groaned as she finally made her way to her locker. After fiddling with the nuisance of a lock for a bit, she swung the door open to find sparkling green eyes staring intently down at her. Her picture of Shego was pinned next to photos of her with Ron, Monique, and her family. Shego's face in the photo was serious and menacing, her classic green and black catsuit adorning her curvaceous body. Despite the scowl that was plastered on her pale green face, Kim could tell she looked happy.

Well, as happy as Shego could look anyway.

"Isn't that the woman you killed?" Bonnie's voice sounded from behind her. Kim almost choked on air. She gnashed her teeth as she dug her nails into the locker's metal door, creating a quiet screech.

_Oh. My. God. Could this day get any worse?_

Before Kim could unleash the exhaustion and anger that she kept bottled up all day on Bonnie, Monique suddenly appeared and quickly stepped in front of a very pissed-off redhead. "Don't you have flies to catch with that outfit Bonnie?" The fashion diva asked smoothly.

"What?!" Bonnie squawked.

"Well, I just figured since flies tend to be attracted to shit," Monique said nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders for added effect.

Surprisingly, it worked because Bonnie gave one last glare before fuming off to the girl's locker room, swearing under her breath.

"Thanks, Monique. I don't know what came over me back there," Kim admitted as her anger deflated. She put a few textbooks into her locker and, like a magnet, became absorbed by her photo of Shego once again.

Monique regarded the picture Kim was staring at with a raised eyebrow, before snapping the teen hero out of her daze. "Bonnie's just trying to get on your nerves as usual Kim, don't let her get to you," she said softly.

She put a comforting hand on the distressed teen's shoulder as Kim nodded silently.

"Hey KP! Hey Monique!" Ron's cheery voice broke through the solemn mood as he bounded over to the two girls. Rufus poked his head out of Ron's backpack and waved a little paw excitedly.

"Hey, Ronster!" Monique grinned at the blonde boy before petting the top of Rufus's bald head.

"Hi Ron," Kim couldn't help but smile at Ron's enthusiasm. She slipped her backpack over a shoulder and after casting a side glance at her Shego picture, closed her locker.

"Say, Kim, are you busy tonight?" Monique's chocolate eyes sparkled with mischief as an idea formed in her mind.

"Just with homework and studying," Kim said as she looked at her friend quizzically.

"Girl, you know that doesn't count as busy. You. Me. Ron. There's this new club that opened up last week, and I've been dying to check it out!" Monique enthused as she snapped her fingers to imaginary music. She looked like a kid opening presents on Christmas, ready to burst with glee at any moment.

"I'm so down!" Ron cheered as he pumped his fists, Rufus joining in. Monique pumped her fists with him and gave a little dance.

"But I-" Kim began but was quickly interrupted.

"Nope, no way girlfriend. There's no weaseling your way out of this one. It's Friday, and I _know_ you don't have any real plans. I'm picking you and Ron up at your house at 7:30. Dress nicely. End of discussion," Monique grinned widely and sauntered off before Kim could argue.

"Yeah, we're partying hard tonight!" Ron laughed as Kim shook her head.

"I guess we are," Kim said as the pair of teens walked outside. She shivered and put her hands into her hoodie pockets, the chilly wind swirling through her fiery mane.

It'd been a hot minute since she went out and had fun with her friends, maybe that'll help take her mind off of Shego. Maybe her life would be back to normal soon. She could go back to doing hero work, foiling Drakken's (and other villains') evil plans, fighting Shego…

Her thoughts trailed off as she realized things would never go back to normal. What even was "normal" for her? It certainly wasn't normal for a teen girl to be fighting a super-powered plasma wielding villainess every other week.

But Kim knew that was her "normal." She liked it, too.

"KP! Kim! Earth to Kim!" Ron's insistent voice made her jump.

"W-what huh?" Kim was buried so deep in thought that she momentarily forgot where she was. She looked up to see Ron's concerned face, waving his hands in front of her glazed eyes.

"You zoned out again," Ron informed her as he stopped her from crossing the street, allowing a car to zoom by.

"Oh, sorry. What were you saying again?" Kim asked sheepishly. Hot shame rose to her throat as she realized she could barely function today without someone babysitting what she was doing. She watched the car speed past them and blinked at Ron gratefully.

The teens waited for a few more cars to pass and crossed the street, glancing in both directions occasionally. Once they were safely on the other side, Ron returned to his usual quirky self.

"I was just asking if we could hang for a bit at your place before going to the club," Ron said as Rufus jumped onto his shoulder. The little mole-rat nodded his head vigorously at Kim, who smiled in return.

"Sure you can, we need to study for that US History Test on Tuesday anyway," Kim shrugged as they continued their stroll to their houses.

"Booyah! Say, I'm not sure how casual I should dress. What're you wearing tonight?" Ron asked as they stopped in front of his house.

"Clothes," Kim smirked sarcastically.

"Oh haha. Since when did you become so sarcastic?" Ron asked with a light laugh.

"Since right now," Kim laughed a little with him, letting her worries dissipate for a few seconds.

"Well after you figure that out, call me so I can come over!" Ron waved as he stepped onto his porch.

Kim nodded and waved back before heading back to her house.

_Guess I need to find something to wear._

* * *

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	4. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Rating: PG-13

Notes: This will eventually lead to KiGo! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, just click away. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going!**

* * *

_Chapter 3_

"Which shirt looks better to you?" Kim held up a thin see-through, long-sleeved shirt in her right hand. In her left hand, she held up a white, sleeveless blouse with frills around the edges.

Ron looked up from his US History textbook and set down the worksheets he was working on. He hopped up and inspected both shirts thoroughly, chewing on the end of his ballpoint pen as if he were making some life-changing decision.

His face was serious and focused, which was unusual for Ron. After feeling the fabric and eyeing each shirt individually, he plopped back on the floor with a cheeky grin.

"No idea! Both look good to me," Ron said humorously as he laughed at Kim's mock-glare.

"You took all that time just to say that?" Kim rolled her olive eyes with exasperation. Despite her irked tone, a small smile appeared on her face.

"Yep!" Ron chirped.

Rufus scrambled onto Kim's bed and pointed at the long black shirt she was holding up in her right hand. "That one!" The naked mole-rat squeaked.

_Figures that a rodent has more of a fashion sense than Ron. _

Kim grinned at Rufus and help up a finger for a high-five. She set the shirts on her bed and checked her watch.

_7:04_

They should probably start getting ready, Monique would be at Kim's house to pick them up at 7:30. It was nice of her to drive them, but Kim still wished she had her own car.

"Uh Ron, we can do more homework tomorrow. Monique will be here in half an hour," Kim folded her white blouse and stashed it in her closet.

"It's ok KP! I can still finish this page right now," Ron said as he filled out another answer.

"But you should probably go home and get ready too," Kim insisted and began brushing her ruffled red hair with a comb.

"Nah, I'm already ready!" Ron opened his arms proudly as if he was showing off his choice of fashion. He still hadn't changed out of his clothes he wore this morning to school.

Kim stared at him incredulously. Of course, Ron would go to a fancy club in baggy cargo pants and a basketball jersey and not think anything of it. What was she even thinking, asking the boy for fashion advice? The redhead almost face palmed as she realized her best friend was not getting the hints she was obviously dropping.

"Ron, you need to leave now or get out of my room," Kim said as she pulled out a pair of black leggings.

"What? Why?" Ron asked seriously with a furrowed brow. Even Rufus had the decency to hide in Ron's pants pocket.

"I need to change, and I don't want you watching," Kim spelled it out for him slowly as if he were a toddler. Ron was so oblivious sometimes, it actually got annoying. Sure, they dated for a few months before but Ron had never seen Kim nude. And even after breaking up, she didn't want that to change.

"Oh yeah, right. Sorry. I'll be downstairs then," Ron blushed slightly as he quickly gathered his homework and head out the door. He rushed out into the hall without closing the door, causing Kim to groan audibly.

"Ron close the door please!" Kim called out to him.

"Sorry KP! I honestly forgot," Ron said apologetically as he quietly closed Kim's bedroom door. She scanned the floor to see Ron forgot his textbooks in her room.

_I'll give them back to him after the club._

Kim changed into a light strapless bra and slipped on the transparent shirt. Pulling on her right leggings and wrapping a stylish shawl around her shoulders, she looked at herself in a mirror with satisfaction. It's been weeks since she actually put effort into looking presentable, and the new confidence she felt was welcoming.

The teen hero didn't bother putting on makeup, as she believed in a more natural look. She mentally scoffed at herself.

_Yeah right, "natural look" my ass. Let's be real, I'm just too lazy. _

_7:23_

Pulling her wild crimson hair into a high ponytail, Kim grabbed her Kimmunicator and purse and headed downstairs. She walked into the living room to see Ron talking with her parents. They caught sight of her as she stopped at the entrance, and the redhead suddenly felt subconscious.

"Kim you look awesome!" Ron grinned as Rufus nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Pretty!" The naked mole-rat squeaked.

"Hey Kimmie-cub, going out tonight?" James asked his daughter with narrowed eyes.

"Yeah, Monique's picking us up in a few minutes," Kim said as she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. Her clothes were rather revealing, and she felt a flush of embarrassment standing there in front of Ron and her parents.

"Will there be any boys involved with this outing?" James asked, crossing his own arms over his chest. Kim's mother, Ann, just smiled at her.

"Well, Ron's going…and he's a boy, so…" Kim really didn't want to have this discussion with her dad every time she went out. He made it sound like she was hooking up with guys every chance she got.

"An evasive answer I see. Well, what time are you coming back?" James continued his interrogation.

"We might grab something to eat afterward, so midnight the latest," Kim answered, checking her watch again.

_7:31_

_Thank god. Monique should hopefully be here any minute now._

"You'll be back by 11:30," James stated firmly.

"James," Ann warned her husband.

He turned to look at her, surprise written all over his face. Usually, Ann was even more protective than him when it came to their precious daughter.

"This is the first time Kim has gone out to have fun with her friends in 3 months. She needs this," Ann said softly.

James opened his mouth to argue but quickly shut it when Ann fixed him with a stern look. "And besides, Kim's 18, an adult now. She's not a little girl anymore," Ann mused. The rocket scientist gave in dejectedly and muttered something about how Kim will always be his little girl.

"Midnight it is then. You guys have fun now," James nodded at Kim and Ron.

A loud honk sounded from outside the house and Kim sighed with relief. "That's Monique, we'll be back before 12:00," Kim confirmed. Ron stood up as Kim swiftly hugged both of her parents. Another honk echoed outside. "We better get going before she drags me out of the house," Kim laughed.

"I'll see you later Mr. and Mrs. P!" Ron picked up Rufus and waved goodbye to Kim's parents. As the pair of teens walked towards the front door, the Tweebs suddenly appeared out of thin air and blocked it.

"Where are you going in that outfit Kim?" Jim inquired.

"Yeah, wherever you're going looks like it's gonna be lit," Tim joined in with his brother.

"Can we come?" The boys asked simultaneously, both grinning devilishly.

"None of your business Tweebs and no, you can't come," Kim said firmly, trying to move around them. The twins didn't move and continued throwing questions at their big sister. Ron stood behind Kim, watching the siblings interact like it was some reality TV show. Rufus mimicked eating popcorn while Ron observed the playful arguing with amusement.

Monique honked the car horn loudly for the third time, startling Jim and Tim. Kim took the opportunity to push past her brothers and out into the chilly night. Ron followed closely behind, and he remembered to close the door before leaving.

Kim opened the car door and was immediately greeted by an irked Monique and a fixed glare.

"Girl, I'm pretty sure the penguins in Antarctica heard my honking. What took you so long?" Monique asked as she turned on the radio, changing the station until she found a song she liked.

"Three words. Parents and Tweebs," Kim joked but mumbled an apology anyway. She slid into the backseat and scooted over so Ron could plop down next to her.

"Ha ok, but you should know that I was very close to breaking into your room and dragging you and jersey boy here to the club myself," Monique chuckled as she narrowed her eyes to look at Ron's clothes. The fashion diva wasn't even surprised that he didn't change into something more club-appropriate. That's Ron in a nutshell for you. She looked Kim up and down and gave an approving thumbs up. "Yass girlfriend! With that shirt you'll have so many guys drooling over you tonight," Monique cocked an eyebrow slyly as she pulled out of the driveway.

Kim blushed and crossed her arms over her chest again, still nervous about the revealing shirt. Ron gave a low whistle, and the petite redhead scoffed as she punched him in the arm playfully. The blonde boy cradled his arm against his chest as if he'd been shot and faked weeping into his hands. Kim grinned and let out a series of light punches on a cowering Ron.

"Ahhh! Monique help! I'm being attacked!" Ron covered his head with his arms and pulled his knees to his chest. Rufus stood on Kim's shoulder, mimicking her punches and encouraging the teen hero on.

"Serves you right for wearing a jersey and cargo pants to a club!" Monique laughed as she glanced at the wrestling teens in the backseat.

"So you're letting me get beaten up because of my obviously superior fashion choices?" Ron asked incredulously as he tried his best to dodge Kim's flurry of hands.

"Superior?!" Monique parroted as she stole another glimpse at Ron, the disbelief and mirth clear in her voice.

"Yeah! If we happen to get mugged, I'll be able to move around and escape easier!" Ron curled into a tighter ball as Kim slapped the top of his head, barely applying pressure.

"This is abuse I tell you!" Ron pretended to cry again and even went as far as asking Monique for some tissues for his wounded ego.

Kim sat back in her seat and burst out laughing, the other teens in the car soon joining in with her. She clutched her stomach as she doubled over, Ron wiping away tears from laughing so hard.

"Girl, tonight is gonna be great! We're not even there yet, and we're already having so much fun," Monique said with a wide smile.

"Booyah! I'm so happy to see you already have such a good time Kim. I haven't seen you this happy since the Shego incident," Ron continued babbling, completely unaware of the laughter that ceased immediately.

Kim bit her lip and her face darkened with a deep frown. For the first time in weeks, she had forgotten all about that terrible night. But then, of course, Ron had to bring it up again during the one time she was actually enjoying herself.

Monique wanted so badly to just slap Ron across the face and wipe that oblivious smile right off. Since she was still driving, she resorted to the next best alternative. She flung her purse directly at his head. Hard. Her bag wasn't light either; it was filled with her wallet, phone, makeup, gum, female toiletries, and so many more necessities.

Ron wheezed as the handbag knocked him square in the face, causing Kim to snort a bit. "Hey! I was just-"

"Ah ah ah rule #1 of this outing. We won't speak or mention anything about the incident. Hell, we won't even think about it," Monique interrupted him before he dug himself deeper into a hole.

Kim nodded gratefully even though Monique couldn't see. Ron felt utterly ashamed of himself as he looked at his distraught best friend. Rufus was back in his pants pocket, watching the scene unfold.

"I'm so sorry Kim. I wasn't even thinking when I said that," Ron apologized wholeheartedly, pulling the redhead into a tight bear hug.

"It's alright Ron, you didn't do anything wrong," Kim returned the hug and patted his back to reassure him that everything was fine. She really didn't blame Ron, he never intended to hurt her and some things just slip out accidentally.

Monique watched the exchange from the rearview mirror before turning into a crowded parking lot. Cars were crammed together in the small, cramped lot, and Monique had to circle around twice before she found an empty parking space. She parked the car crookedly and turned around to face the teens sitting in the backseat.

"Rule #2: We're gonna have fun tonight and have the best time of our lives!" Monique cheered before snatching her purse out of Ron's hands and stepping out of the car.

"Booyah! Let's party KP!" Ron grabbed Kim's arm and gently tugged her outside to where Monique was waiting. Kim got a good look at her friend and took a second to admire her outfit. She was wearing a cherry-red sleeveless dress that was skin-tight and stopped shortly below her hips. Her sparkling, silver stiletto heels shone brightly in the moonlight, and her wavy, mocha hair was up in a messy bun. Like her dress, Monique's nails and lips were painted a stunning scarlet.

Monique's chocolate eyes lit up as she hooked her arm around Kim's. She half-pulled half-dragged the small teen to the club entrance as Ron followed closely behind. The group crossed the parking lot and stopped in front of a glowing neon sign at the entrance.

"_Devil's Night Club." Catchy._

"Rule #3: We're partying like crazy animals and staying till the sun is up!" Monique whispered ferociously as they stood in line to the night club.

The teens all whipped out their driver's licenses to the bouncer as they entered the dark building. Once through the thick, black double doors, they were immediately slammed with blaring music and bright, flashing strobe lights. The group took a second to absorb all of the activity around them as they stood awkwardly near the entrance.

In the middle of the club was a large dancing platform with glowing tiles on the ground. Tons of people grooved to the EDM playing with alcoholic drinks in their hands. The multicolored lights and spinning disco balls blinded the teens, and Kim had to blink her eyes repeatedly to adjust to the sight. Further behind the dance floor was the DJ as he stood on a higher table overlooking the dancers. Long bars lined either side of the club, a few feet away from the dance floor. Kim spotted a few people passed out on the floor in the lounge area, bottles still gripped tightly in their hands.

Feeling a tug at her arm, Kim looked at Monique to see her leading the trio to a few empty seats at the bar on the left side. The mocha haired girl looked like she was on a mission as she let go of Kim and strut directly towards a young male bartender. She slid onto a stool and leaned forward on her elbows until her head rested on her hands.

"Hey there love, hit us up with 3 Cokes please," Monique said with a wink, leaning forward until her breasts were against the counter. The bartender had to peel his eyes away from her chest before scrambling away to get their drinks.

Their sodas arrived, and Monique continued to flirt and tease the poor guy. Kim sat on a stool and watched the mass of drunken bodies dancing wildly to the pounding music. She sipped on her Coke lightly and cocked her head to see Ron grinning at her widely. Rufus had buried himself deep into Ron's pants pocket, desperate to get away from the cacophony of noises.

"What?" Kim asked as she noticed his excitement building.

"Yo let's dance!" Ron had to practically yell over the loud music and chattering people. Kim hesitated but Ron pulled her off her stool and dragged her onto the dance floor before she could protest.

_I'm being dragged everywhere like a naughty kid. Great._

Ron pushed the redhead onto the dance floor and began busting out some pretty embarrassing moves. Kim laughed as her best friend started doing the sprinkler with added facial expressions, making his dancing look even funnier. Closing her olive-green eyes, she started losing herself to the music as the DJ played one of her favorite songs. She mouthed the lyrics and felt herself naturally grooving and moving her hips. She shook her head to the beat as a small tugged the edges of her lips.

Kim cracked open an eye to see Ron grinning at her like the Cheshire Cat. She beamed back at him until something caught her attention in the corner of her eye. Ron was still lost in his own world as he rocked his unique dance moves. Attempting to peer behind Ron while still dancing in rhythm, she spotted a very large group of guys and girls dancing around someone.

Someone with pale green skin.

Kim's heart stopped and her breathing ceased. She'd recognize that skin tone anywhere.

_Shego. She's alive. _

The teen hero watched as guys and girls flocked to Shego like a powerful magnet. They all leered at her and some even tried to touch her body. She swung her hips smoothly to the music and her body language just screamed: "I'm single, come and get me!"

Her long, raven hair hung down to her waist and flowed like waves with her dancing. She wasn't wearing her usual green and black catsuit, and instead donned a silky neon green dress. It was skin-tight, of course, and hugged her lean body, accentuating each curve. Her neck and shoulders were completely exposed from the deep V-neck, letting guys get a nice view of her chest if they got close enough. The dress reached down past her knees, but there was a fairly large slit to one side of it; it showed off her toned legs nicely.

She looked drop-dead gorgeous. Shego radiated confident and cocky energy that Kim could only wish she had. Kim found herself ogling the pale thief before blushing slightly and shaking her head roughly to regain her senses.

_Shego's alive. I can't believe she's really alive. _

But then, her moment of relief and clarity plummeted as the entire world came to a screeching halt for the teen hero. Shego had turned around and was now staring blankly at Kim, her stoic expression giving away nothing. Shego and Kim stopped dancing and just stood there silently in the middle of a wild, chaotic club. It felt like electricity sparking between the two. A pair of green eyes stared back at another pair of green eyes. The tension in the air was palpable, and Kim choked as her mind frantically fumbled for something to say. She opened her mouth but nothing came out, her dry throat burning from the sea of shame and guilt.

What felt like eternities to Kim was actually less than 5 seconds in reality. She attempted to speak. To say something. Anything. But nothing came out as she gazed at the woman the world believed she killed.

She would never admit it to herself. But at one point, she started to believe it too.

After another second of painful silence, Shego briskly whipped around and slipped through the crowd of sweaty bodies. Her escape was as smooth as water, easily sliding around each person without touching them. The guys and girls dancing around her looked around in confusion as they noticed the green beauty had disappeared.

Kim blinked before forcing her legs to move towards the backdoor Shego was heading to. She followed Shego as quickly as she could, desperate to see the pale thief. Desperate to say something. Desperate to make things right.

Despite her efforts, she didn't move as effortlessly as the villainess, and she bumped into many intoxicated people that slowed her down. Shego was already disappearing from her view.

_Shit! I'm losing her._

She growled profanities under her breath as she forcefully shoved the sluggish people out of the way. It was like moving through a horde of brain dead zombies.

"Shego! Wait!" Kim called out, the panic in her voice evident. She swore she saw Shego hesitate for a very brief moment before continuing to slip past people. Kim tripped over an unconscious person sprawled out on the floor and avoided pairs of drunk couples making out. It was like trudging through a battlefield.

Kim burst out the backdoor and into the dead of night. The chilly night air pierced her exposed skin, but she ignored the tingling of goosebumps.

She looked around wildly and scanned the empty lot she was standing in.

_Where is she?_

"Shego?" Kim called out softly, walking frantically out into the empty space as she peered into the shadows. The only response she got was the cold whispers of the wind, almost taunting her. She willed back the tears that threatened to spill over and spent a few more minutes searching the lot, calling out the villainess's name every few seconds.

_Did I just imagine Shego? Is she really dead and her ghost is now haunting me until I die?_

The guilt hit Kim again like a wrecking ball, aiming to destroy and break down her fragile walls. She felt hot shame course through her veins and had to lean against a wall to control her breathing. Her mind whirled as a flashback of Shego's twitching figure as the tower crumbled around her haunted Kim's mind. She could practically hear the villainess's horrified screams as she was being shocked by thousands of volts. Kim's head spun as she felt boiling bile burn her dry throat, pushing up to her mouth. Stumbling blindly to a trash can next to the club's backdoor, she vomited and starting sobbing.

Kim wept uncontrollably into her shaking hands, her forehead glistening with sweat as she leaned against the building wall. Her mouth was left with a stinging sour and bitter taste, and she coughed as it made her gag.

_I fucked up. I fucked up so badly._

"Shego… Shego. I'm so sorry…" Kim's voice was barely a whisper as she felt the harsh wind whipping at her cold, exposed neck. She shivered, not from the cold, but from the sinking feeling of regret and despair that twisted in her gut. It felt like she was being stabbed multiple times, the knife twisting into her heart deeper and deeper with every breath.

_What have I done?_

Kim continued to cry into the freezing night as a pair of sparkling emerald green eyes watched from the shadows of the roof above.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 4_

"I thought she was with you!" Monique scolded Ron for the third time as they waded through the crowd on the dance floor. The pair of teens had spent the last 10 minutes searching the entire club for Kim. They'd only been partying for 5 minutes and they already lost her.

"Monique, I swear she was!" Ron insisted as he tried his best to move around the drunken people. He stood on his tiptoes and scanned the mass of writhing bodies, looking for anyone with bright red hair.

"Ok yeah, sure Ron, then where is she now?!" Monique asked, worry etched in her voice.

"How would I know?!" Ron asked as he checked the lounge.

"Because she was with you!" Monique practically screamed over the blaring music. She popped her head into the bathrooms despite checking there already. They've already sniffed out every nook and cranny of the night club like a pack of hungry wolves. It was like Kim had just disappeared into thin air.

The two frantic teens growled in frustration as they head back to the bar. Monique sauntered confidently over to the male bartender she was talking to earlier, her hips swaying with each step.

"Excuse me sweetie, but you wouldn't have happened to see a small redhead girl in black around here, would you?" Monique asked smoothly, trying her best to sound calm.

The bartender frowned quizzically and pointed to a certain redhead standing near the club's backdoor. Her head hung low so her face was obscured, but no one could miss the distinct crimson hair.

Monique and Ron launched out of their seats and made a beeline straight for Kim. Upon closer inspection, the teens could see how red and puffy Kim's dull, olive eyes appeared. It definitely seemed like she'd been crying recently. Her pale hands were clenched into tight fists, and she was shivering in her thin top.

"Kim, honey, you better have a good excuse for ditching us. What happened? Where were you?!" Monique demanded as she stomped up to Kim in her heels and pulled the petite teen into a tight hug.

"KP! Where'd you go? We've been looking everywhere for you!" Ron asked worriedly.

Kim didn't reply as she kept her eyes fixed on the ground. Her wild hair hung in a loose, messy ponytail with thick strands covering her pale face. She looked like she'd just seen a ghost.

After a few seconds passed and the redhead still didn't give any sign that she heard Ron or Monique, the latter shook her shoulders roughly. "Girl, what's wrong?" Monique asked as she led Kim to a quieter spot.

Kim looked up at Monique sadly, her eyes still wet and swollen. She looked like a puppy that had just been kicked.

Yep, she was definitely crying.

"Kim. What's wrong?" Monique asked again more forcefully.

Ron stood off to the side, nervously fiddling with his fingers. He wasn't sure what to do or how to help and was convinced he'd just make matters worse. He decided to just let Monique take care of things, she was much better with words than him anyway.

"I'll um, get a glass of water," Ron stuttered as he quickly dashed towards the bars.

"S-Shego…" Kim's whisper was so low, Monique wasn't even sure if she imagined Kim speaking.

"Kim, I can't hear you. What's wrong?" Monique repeated as she leaned in closer to hear what Kim was saying.

"Shego…" Kim mumbled as fresh tears started building in her eyes. She stifled a sob as her dry throat began to tighten, and her head throbbed from the sea of questions flooding her mind. The world started to spin and Monique had to grip the teen hero's shoulders to keep her from falling over.

_Should I tell them that I think I saw Shego? Did I even see Shego in the first place? Or was it just my mind playing tricks on me? Am I going insane? Is this what insane people feel like?_

"I thought we agreed to not talk about that tonight. What happened to Rule #1?" Monique sighed and took a step back.

"S-Shego…" Kim repeated that name for the hundredth time today. Her freckled cheeks were soaked with freshly fallen tears, and her lower lip trembled.

_Insanity feels terrible._

"So I guess you already broke Rule #1. Did you at least have fun?" Monique asked as she gently guided the distraught teen to a couch.

Kim could only shake her head sadly, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Her body started shaking slightly, and Monique looked confused, panic written all over her face. Kim felt a breakdown coming, but she did her best to tame it. To bottle it up and stash it deep into a dark corner. To let that bottle collect dust, never to be cracked open again.

"Well then, there goes Rule #2 out the damn window!" Monique declared as she put a hand on her hip vexedly. "Girl, I brought you out here to forget about all that and have some fun! You know that!" Monique said as she tried to lighten the mood. She pulled Kim to her feet and started fixing her wrinkled, crooked shirt.

"Monique?" Kim asked with another pitiful look, her wide eyes red and shiny from crying.

"Yes?" Monique had begun fixing Kim's hair, pulling the loose strands into a neater ponytail.

"I… I want to go home," Kim whispered softly, hands clutching the sleeves of her top.

"But we just got here not even 20 minutes ago! You're seriously going to break Rule #3 too?!" Monique asked incredulously, staring wide-eyed at Kim as if she'd grown another head. She only made 3 simple rules to follow, and Kim had already broken them within a few minutes.

"I-I'm so sorry Monique. But I can't stay here… I can't do anything right," Kim said dejectedly, her voice raw and raspy from crying.

"Girl, that's Ron's whole shtick, not yours," Monique gave a lighthearted laugh. "Of course you can do anything. You're Kim Possible! That's literally your motto: "I can do anything!" Monique finished with a wink, hoping it'd cheer up the depressed teen hero.

"No. No, I can't," Kim said as she looked away, unable to meet Monique's gaze.

_I've let so many people down tonight. First, Shego. And now Monique._

"Heyyy ladies," Ron said as he came crashing in. Literally. He coughed as he tripped and fell into Monique's bare arms. Tipping his head to sniff her wavy hair, Ron gave a goofy smile. "Mmm, you smell reaaaallllyyy good."

His voice was slurred, and his eyes were disoriented. On a regular day, being this close to Monique would've had him turn as red as a tomato and cut off his ability to speak in full sentences. He was definitely lacking his usual Ron-ness. So either this was a clone, or Ron was drunk. Monique decided to go with the latter as she pushed the boy off her chest.

"Ron, I thought you were going to get water! What happened to you?" Monique sighed with exasperation as she practically had to carry all of Ron's weight. She gently shoved him onto the couch next to Kim and stared at his lazy, crooked grin, ignoring the flirting look in his glazed eyes.

"Well, listen to this because it's really funny. I think you'll think it's funny because I think it's really funny. So I was at the bar, but I didn't see the bartender you were hitting on earlier. But I did see a tiny cup with water in it. So I drank all of it, but it tasted funny. It was really funny. This whole thing is so funny," Ron blabbed in his drunken state. Rufus stuck his head out of the blonde's pocket, shaking his small head in embarrassment.

"You took a shot of vodka on accident?" Kim asked with an amused look, the tears disappearing from her now-clear eyes.

"You got this drunk from only one shot?" Monique snorted and covered a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter. Ron nodded enthusiastically with a goofy grin. "Then I guess there's no point in staying here if you're like this. We'd better get you home," the fashion diva shook her head disappointedly.

"You're really pretty," Ron slurred as he looked Monique up and down. A thin line of doggy drool dribbled down to his chin out from the side of his mouth.

Kim burst out laughing as Monique turned into a bright red blushing mess. Monique saw this and smiled.

Leave it to Ron to cheer up Kim without even trying.

The redhead hollered with laughter as she saw Ron wiggle his eyebrows at a flushing Monique. Oh, how she wished she had a camera to capture this golden moment.

_A camera. Security cameras._

Kim immediately stopped laughing as an idea formed in her foggy mind.

_I can't believe I didn't think of that earlier!_

"I-uh gotta use the bathroom real quick before we go," Kim lied as she dashed hurriedly towards the ladies' room. Once inside, she sighed gratefully as she realized it was empty.

Pulling out her Kimmunicator, the teen hero pressed a few buttons and listened to the phone dial.

"Hey Kim, what's up?" Wade appeared on her phone screen, sitting at his desk as usual.

"Hey Wade. Can you check for any signs or news of Shego?" Kim asked as she rubbed her still-red, stinging eyes.

"Again? But I just checked this morning and there was nothing," Wade pointed out. Kim had never asked him to check for Shego this often before.

"Please Wade? Just this once?" Kim begged with a slight pout.

Fearing the puppy dog pout, Wade started typing on his keyboard. "All right, give me a minute," he said as his eyes scanned his computer screen.

Kim tapped her foot against the bathroom floor and leaned against the smooth wall, waiting patiently.

"Actually, it says here that Shego's been spotted at multiple clubs and bars tonight," Wade's eyes widened with surprise at seeing news of Shego. Kim, however, didn't seem as surprised as Wade thought she'd be in hearing the villainess still alive.

"That's great, thanks Wade. Do you think you'd be able to get some footage from the security cameras at a club I'm at right now?" Kim asked, hope blossoming in her chest.

"Kim, please. That's child's play, you know I can do that and so much more," Wade scoffed and rolled his eyes with amusement. "What's the name of the club you're at?"

"Devil's Night Club. It opened up recently according to Monique," Kim said as she recalled the large neon sign in from of the building.

"Would you like the past half hour of footage from all of the security cameras?" Wade inquired as he began typing furiously.

"Please and thank you," Kim smiled gratefully at the computer genius.

After a minute or so, a ding sounded from the Kimmunicator. "Alright, I've downloaded the video files and sent them to your Kimmunicator. It should only take a few minutes to download before opening," Wade explained.

"Spankin'! Thank you so much Wade," Kim thanked him wholeheartedly.

"No problem, it's what I do best. And Kim, if you find out anything about this sitch, please let me know. You know I only want to help you," Wade added.

"Of course Wade, you're my #1 guy for these kinds of things," Kim assured him with a small smile.

Wade laughed as they both said their goodbyes and hung up. Kim immediately started downloading the security footage before heading back out to Ron and Monique.

Ron was still shamelessly hitting on Monique while the poor girl looked like she was about to die from embarrassment. Face buried in her hands, she begged the gods above to make it stop.

Kim chuckled from the sight and laughed harder when she saw Monique dart towards her with a pleading expression. Her face looked as red as her dress, and she was chewing nervously on her ruby lips.

"Girl you gotta save me! Ron won't stop!" Monique wailed as she mocked sobbing and hid behind Kim.

"Monique, he's drunk and has no idea what he's talking about. Besides, you can use this as ammunition later on if you need something from him," Kim pointed out with a devilish gleam in her eyes.

Grabbing the mocha-skinned girl by the arm, Kim dragged her to where Ron lay sprawled out on the couch. His brown eyes were half-open, and he was mumbling nonsense under his wispy breath. Rufus was perched on the blonde boy's shoulder, waving his pink paws in front of Ron's face to no avail.

The two girls groaned as they slung an arm around each of his shoulders and hauled him off the couch. They both grunted with effort as they half-carried, half-dragged an unconscious Ron through the crowded club. It was like carrying a dead body through a massive sea of more dead bodies. After stopping every few seconds to catch their breath, the teens made it to the front entrance. People were flooding in through the doors, and Kim waited for the groups of people to pass before lifting her foot up. Checking to see that the coast was clear, she kicked open the door and cold air blasted onto her pale face.

_I knew I should've brought a jacket. It's barely September, and it's already freezing._

The night was dark, but they could see almost perfectly due to the bright neon lights from outside the night club. The multicolored lights illuminated the parking lot so that the metal exteriors of cars shone like brilliant stars. It was the most stunning parking lot the teens had ever seen.

The girls silently thanked the universe for making the lot so small and cramped, making their trip to Monique's car shorter.

After throwing Ron in the backseat, Kim decided to sit shotgun next to Monique. She didn't want Ron to throw up on her after all. Rufus apparently had the same idea as he hopped out of Ron's pants pocket and scrambled onto Kim's shoulder.

"Ron, I swear to god, if you throw up in my car I will make your life a living hell," Monique threatened as she pulled out of the parking lot. Despite her harsh tone, a light pink still lingered on her cheeks from Ron's earlier actions. The drunk boy only responded with a hiccup and soft snore.

However, Kim wasn't paying attention to any of that as she stared intently at her Kimmunicator's screen. The video files had finished downloading, and she was eagerly watching the security footage, looking for any sign of Shego. Despite the video being extremely blurry and lacking color, Kim couldn't miss Shego as she watched her strut into the club with utmost confidence.

_Shego was really there! She's alive, and I wasn't imagining her! I'm not insane!_

Kim felt a wave of relief as she realized Shego was alive and well. Trying her best to ignore the persistent feelings of guilt and shame creeping at the back of her mind, she continued to study the footage.

"Kim!" Monique's annoyed yell startled Kim from her thoughts. She peeled her eyes away from the device's screen and looked at her friend questioningly.

"What?" Kim asked as she turned off her Kimmunicator.

_I'll look at the footage some more later._

"Were you even listening to anything I was saying?" Monique asked disbelievingly.

Kim shook her head shamefully and murmured an apology, "I'm sorry Monique, I was just…distracted."

"You got that right," Monique grunted as she glimpsed at a sleeping Ron in her rearview mirror. "I was saying that I'm dropping Ron off first before he vomits in my car. I am _not _cleaning that shit up if that happens. You're going to have to help me carry him to his front door. His parents will take care of him from there," she explained again.

"Ok, sounds good," Kim agreed.

"Oh and since you're his best friend, you get to explain to his parents why we're dragging a drunk Ron to their porch after spending less than a half-hour at a night club," Monique's eyes glittered as she smirked at Kim.

Kim groaned audibly but didn't argue any further. She already ruined their night of planned fun, and she felt horrible for dragging Monique and Ron down with her to her pity party.

_I'll make it up to then later, they deserve that much and more for putting up with me._

"What were you even looking at on your Kimmunicator to space out like that?" Monique asked, eyes still trained on the road.

"U-uh nothing important really," Kim stammered out as she stashed the device into her pants pocket.

"You know you're a terrible liar right?" Monique asked flatly.

"Yeah, I know. I'll tell you guys about the sitch later, but right now it's not important, trust me," Kim insisted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Monique nodded and accepted the answer. She'd make sure to bug Kim about it later when Ron was more awake and coherent. A few minutes of comfortable silence passed, and the trio was suddenly at Ron's house.

As promised Kim spent a few minutes explaining to Mr. and Mrs. Stoppable to why their son was passed out and drunk. They laughed it off naturally since Kim had told them Ron had drunk a very small amount of alcohol unintentionally. It was good to know he wasn't an underaged alcoholic. They took Ron off of Kim's shoulders, literally, and waved goodbye to the girls.

Monique drove Kim to her house shortly after and stopped in front of her driveway. The two girls hugged briefly before Kim stopped and turned around before getting out of the car.

"Monique, I'm really sorry about tonight. You were only trying to help, and I knew that but still ruined everything. Can we reschedule for another day?" Kim sincerely apologized again.

_Monique was looking forward to tonight, and I screwed it all up. Some friend I am._

"Girl, you know we can definitely try again next time! And it's alright, seeing Ron drunk, in the end, was worth it," Monique laughed and Kim joined in with her before watching the car speed away. Waiting until it faded from her view, she started mentally preparing for the truckload of questions that were about to be dropped on her. And as soon as she took a step inside her house, the twins immediately appeared in front of her.

"I thought you were at the super-secretive place where kids can't go?" Jim asked with a devilish gleam in his eyes.

"Yeah, change your mind already about taking us?" Tim smirked as he joined his brother. The twins both grinned widely like the cat who ate the canary.

"I was and no. I just have more important things to do right now," Kim vaguely said as she walked into the living room. The Tweebs trailed closely behind like puppies following their mother.

"What sort of things?" They both asked simultaneously. It was freaky how they somehow knew what the other twin was thinking about. Kim ignored the persistent questions from her younger brothers and called out a greeting to her parents.

"Hey mom and dad, I'm back," Kim said as if that weren't obvious.

"Kim dear? It's only 8:45, we said you could stay out until midnight," Kim's mother was sitting on the couch reading a thick book. Closing the book, she set it on the coffee table and took a sip of her peppermint tea.

"A boy didn't upset you right?" Kim's father narrowed his eyes suspiciously. He took a sip of his own cup of chamomile tea as he waited for his daughter's response.

"I know, but Ron got drunk accidentally, and we figured it'd be safer to just bring him home. And no boys dad," Kim said smoothly as she used Ron as an excuse as to why she was actually home before 9:00. It wasn't exactly a lie, Ron was part of the reason why they all ended the night early.

_I won't tell them about Shego. Yet. _

James let out a deep chuckle while Ann shook her head with amusement. "I'm not even going to ask how that happened. We'll probably find out about it tomorrow from his parents anyway," James mused.

"Yeah, haha. Well since it's still early, I've got to go do some homework and study and stuff. Bye!" Kim babbled as she quickly swerved around her brothers and dashed to her room. She closed the door behind her and tripped over Ron's open textbooks.

_Oh yeah, I still need to give these back to Ron. I'll do it when I see him again, or when he's not drunk._

Not bothering to change out of her clothes, Kim sat on the edge of her bed and whipped out her Kimmunicator. She spent the next few hours studying the footage, planning on what she was going to say to the pale thief the next time they met. Sparks of determination overwhelmed Kim's negative thoughts, and she suddenly felt like her old self again.

_I can't __mess this up. Again._

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**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: We get to see some random fire and ice symbolism here in this chapter! Also, it's from Shego's POV up until the very end ;0;

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 5_

Stars twinkled above in the night sky, illuminating Shego's pale face. She laid still on the night club's roof, watching her uneven breath turn into steamy wisps with every exhale. Night had fallen on Middleton, and darkness thickened around the town's horizon.

Inky clouds churned like wet ash, and small, sporadic droplets of icy rain splashed down on the villainess. The moon was just a sliver in the sky, and its weak light was drowned by the storm swirling above. The frigid wind whipped wildly through her midnight hair, causing the loose strands to blind her briefly.

Shego could tell it was cold by the fact she had to internally activate her plasma powers within her body to keep warm. It was one of the many perks of having superpowers. She never got cold because it just wasn't possible.

_So why am I freezing?_

It was the type of cold that reached her bones, piercing deeper until it pushed into her strong heart. Icicles stabbed her thoughts, and the frost forming around her mind made her confidence wither. No amount of plasma would ever melt the ice-locked around her heart, for it was too frozen to be shattered. Through the persistent cold that tortured Shego, a bright red flame still lingered in her hazy memory.

_Kim._

The flame barely flickered, and Shego would've sworn it was dead had she not looked closer. A fire that once glowed so strongly, it almost melted the pale thief's icy heart. But the hot ribbons of light had died to a mere whisper of what it used to be, barely able to light a match.

Like a wounded kitten, Shego tucked her knees to her chest and stared aimlessly at the growing storm. Kim's grief-stricken cries and endless sobs were the only things filling her ears as she remembered seeing the distraught redhead earlier that night. She had watched the breakdown unfold from the safety of the shadows atop the club's roof, gazing blankly at Kim as she tore herself apart.

Shego didn't want to admit it to anyone. Hell, she didn't want to admit it to herself. But it hurt seeing Kim. It hurt real bad.

_I can't believe she dared to party after my "death." She's probably been celebrating every night with all of her perfect little friends over defeating me. Because to her, I'm just another villain._

Shego angrily pushed away the tiny voice in her head contradicting what she just thought. Kim was clearly broken and falling further into an infinite pit of regret as if she were a fragile jewel on a precarious cliff.

_Kim was probably crying because she found out I'm not actually dead. She's upset because she didn't defeat me, and I'm gonna mess up her perfect little hero life again._

Shego growled audibly at her internal argument and the nagging voice in her head. She knew her rage was building and clouding her vision, leaving any speck of sanity to drift away with the howling wind. But she welcomed those thoughts like a door left wide open to the icy wind that swirled angrily outside. Anger always overwhelmed any other emotion.

She was a capricious person. She understood that wholeheartedly and embraced her flaw that she believed was a blessing. Acting on impulse and anger had kept her alive. Gave her the reputation she carefully constructed. Made her feared by the people of the world.

_Is Kim scared of me? She better be, I could kick her sorry ass into oblivion if I wanted to. _

The light raindrops that gently kissed her pale green skin suddenly transformed into an onslaught of electrifying glass shards that cascaded from the confident sky. They shattered almost immediately as they pounded her body, quenching the dry roof she was laying on. With a quick snap of her fingers, Shego watched the sweet drops of rain evaporate from the green fire dancing around her sharp fingertips. Smoke and steam rose from her body slowly, and they circled within each other before dissipating into the night air.

The cacophony of pop music and cheering people below was muffled by the splattering downpour, and the blaring speakers sent soft vibrations to the roof.

Shego smirked as she thought about all the people she attracted in the clubs she stopped by. It was fun to be a tease. They were all just mindless toys to her, none meaning more than the other. If she was feeling gracious, one lucky toy would get to spend the night with the villainess. Shego had flings all the time; they were all the same to her. They were all just a meaningless person that satisfied her cravings for the night, only to be long forgotten the next morning. She couldn't even remember a name tied to any person she'd had a tryst with in the past. It just didn't matter, and Shego couldn't care less if they died tomorrow.

_I'm not heartless. I'm practical and realistic._

Shego sat up and laid her head on her knees, thinking about what she wanted to do next. Her initial plan was to find someone in a club or bar that looked halfway decent to fill her desires for the night. After seeing Kim, however, Shego's mood for freaky fun had dissolved into a feeling of emptiness and confusion. She couldn't run from the fire no matter how hard she tried. It's obedient flames always found a way to creep under the veil of darkness that cloaked her ice.

Raising her body heat to keep from getting wet, she tilted her head to watch the silky wisps of steam billow into the skies above.

_What am I going to do?_

Small puddles started forming around Shego's feet, and her stomach twinged painfully from the sickening feeling crawling up her throat. This was the first time she'd seen rain since the electrical tower incident. She remembered this scene all too well. It replayed every night like a broken record, haunting the days that followed that horrible night 3 months ago.

_What the hell is wrong with me?! I need to stop being an emotional wuss and get my shit together. _

Mentally scolding herself, Shego heaved onto her feet and let the anger remain as the prominent emotion. She scanned her surroundings atop the rather large building, emerald eyes squinting through the pouring rain and overcast night.

_Drakken's lair isn't too far from here. I need to beat his ass sooner or later anyways for signing my "last paycheck." _

Shego leaped down from the roof with ease, and she landed lightly on all fours with the grace a cat could only dream of having. The walk to Drakken's secret lair was quiet and uneventful, as the villainess was focused on chewing her boss out the moment she saw his dumb, blue face. Carefully sneaking through dimly lit alleyways and avoiding the bustling main road, Shego found herself standing in front of the lair. She forgot how mundane it looked from the outside, the dull exterior concealing the ornate systems within.

_Let's get this ass-beating over with, I'm hungry._

Remembering she still donned a tight dress that made it difficult to kick someone's ass, Shego sneaked in through the backdoor. She quietly slipped into her room to change into her reputable skin-tight, green and black catsuit. Fastening the clasps around her neck, the pale thief slinked into the main room where Drakken usually worked. The lights were out, and it was completely empty.

_Strange. He always works in here late at night. And it's not even that late._

Shego took a second to do a quick search around, sniffing out clues like a bloodhound on a crime scene. Noticing some complex blueprints she'd never seen before lying hidden underneath a table and a few boxes, the villainess pulled them out to inspect.

Messily scribbled notes and math equations as long as her arm was scrawled over to the side of the blue grid paper. The tarnished words were smudged slightly, making them illegible, and the numbers were far too complex for her to understand. The top of the paper was labeled with "**Plan X**" in bold lettering. In the middle of the blueprint was a very intricate base design of a machine of some sort. She had never seen these plans before, and she most certainly never heard Drakken talk about anything this complex.

_Not that I listen to his ranting anyway._

Studying the writing closely like a scholar, Shego concluded that these plans were made recently. The black ink was still quite fresh, and the papers looked to be new and preserved nicely. Thanks to her incredible thievery skills, Shego was able to find the carefully stashed away papers that a regular person would have easily missed.

_Whoever made these blueprints didn't want me to find them. _

Shego put the plans away in the exact place she found them before stopping dead in her tracks. It's never this quiet here. The silence was so thick that it wrapped around the thief's thin body, threatening to squeeze a scream out of her. She couldn't hear any henchmen.

_It's a Friday. They always play their dumb "bonding" games and make a mess out of everything today. Where is everyone?_

Shego craned her head as she closed her eyes to listen carefully. Very faint voices sounded from the back of the lair. They were so soft that the villainess would have believed that her mind was pulling tricks on her.

_This is some horror movie-type shit._

Shego crept as silent as the darkness she was engulfed in, her feet barely making contact with the tiled floor. Her breath was small and short, and her light steps made her feel like she was floating.

_Huh. I always thought I'd be the monster in a horror movie rather than the dumb victim. This is fucked up. _

She rolled her eyes but didn't cease her careful stalking, her eyes trained on a lit room at the end of the hall. As she got closer, Shego strained her ears as she could make out Drakken's voice among the others that talked over him.

_I swear to god, if this idiot is in some part of a sick cult, my paycheck better be tripled and I need a lifetime supply of Drakken-free vacation days. _

Shego reached the slightly ajar door and froze. The other voices were now as clear as the beads of sweat forming on her forehead, and the pale thief felt a sinking feeling settling at the bottom of her empty stomach. Food was the least of her worries now as Shego slid to the side of the cracked open door. She pressed her back against the wall and steadied her breathing.

"Think about the potential! This'll be a scientific revolution!" said a woman's nasally voice. DNAmy.

_That bitch. What's she doing here?_

"I agree, the power is undeniably attracting," Monkey Fist's notable voice laced with a formal British accent echoed in the room.

_Curious George is here too? _

"It better be, or the deal is off," Shego could make out Dementor's voice.

"Oi, the laddie promised me Ireland," Duff Killigan's gruff voice rang out.

_Deal? What deal? No one ever told me about a deal!_

Shego felt hot rage begin to boil as she silently fumed about not being included on this "deal," whatever it was.

_I'm a better villain than all of these asshats combined! I deserve some goddamn respect!_

"Gentlemen, let's not get ahead of ourselves until the task is complete," said a smooth voice that was undoubtedly Senõr Senior Senior's.

"Father, when can we go? I'm hungry!" Senõr Senior Junior whine made Shego roll her eyes.

_You and me both Junior._

"Junior, have a bagel. There's still some cream cheese leftover," Drakken's voice sounded unnaturally nice.

_DNAmy, Monkey Fist, Dementor, Duff Killigan, the Seniors, and Drakken? All in the same room? Without killing each other? What the hell is going on? And why wasn't I included in all of this?_

Shego's mind whirled as question after question plagued her basic reasoning. She wanted to explode into the room and light everyone on fire, but a twisted feeling in her gut made her think otherwise. It practically screamed at her to not act on impulse for once in her life and think things through before destroying shit. She always listened to her gut. It kept her alive on the streets when she was younger.

_It better keep me alive now. _

Shego decided she needed to find out more about what was going on. The villains in the room kept up their discussion, unaware of the plasma wielding villainess prowling through the air vents above.

Shego forcefully stifled a sneeze as she crawled on her hands and knees. The crawlspace was tight and cramped, and the intense heat was causing Shego to sweat dirty bullets. She was practically wading through dust and grime, staining her bright neon jumpsuit. Face contorted with disgust as she spotted a dead cockroach lying a few feet away from her, the thief pressed a pale ear against the cool metal. Her long, raven hair was strung with cobwebs and sprinkled with dirt as she strained to hear the muffled conversation below her.

_Why can't air vents be as clean as they are in the movies?_

"Shego won't even suspect a thing, she's been dysfunctional ever since Kim Possible almost murdered her. It'll be so easy," DNAmy said excitedly.

_Dysfunctional? Once I get my hands on her fat neck, I'll make her entire existence dysfunctional!_

Biting her tongue to keep profanities from slipping out like butter, Shego forced herself to continue to listen.

"Father! I liked Shego, she taught me everything I know! Why do we have to capture her?" Junior's whine was annoyingly loud.

_CAPTURE?! The fuck does that mean?!_

"Because she is gone, Junior," Senõr Senior Senior replied calmly.

"I thought she was alive?" Junior asked.

"Oh she is, but she is long gone from villainy son," Senõr Senior said as Shego felt the iron-y sting of blood wash her mouth. Her teeth pierced through her tongue as she almost passed out from holding back an outraged scream.

_Gone from villainy my ass! You'll pay for that old man!_

"We also need Shego for information on Kim, Junior. She knows the most about her," Drakken pointed out.

"And Ron Stoppable, too," Monkey Fist reminded.

"Who?" Everyone else asked quizzically.

"Her dumb sidekick that holds the mystical monkey powers that rightfully belong to me!" Monkey Fist exclaimed.

"Ohhh, so that's his name," was all that followed Monkey Fist's outburst.

"Her sidekick is your business Monty. Anyways, Shego knows where Kim lives. We're going to need that information if we're going to attack when she least expects it. He wants her dead or alive, whichever is more convenient," Drakken informed.

_What the hell do they want from Kimmie? She's just a dumb brat who happens to be smart enough to foil their idiotic, bound-to-fail evil plots. Who the hell is in charge here? And who the hell is "he?" _

Shego felt a migraine forming, and she rubbed her temples to soothe the headache that made her head throb.

"I thought he wanted her alive, to exterminate himself?" Dementor asked.

"Kim Possible's capture should be quick and simple, so it doesn't matter either way. She's not even doing hero work anymore after the electrical tower. How pathetic," DNAmy said with a snort.

Shego had no idea why, but she suddenly felt defensive for Kim.

_Sure, she's a brat. Sure, she's just a kid. Sure, she's a goodie-two-shoes who always follows the rules. And sure, I just watched her cry in an empty parking lot outside of a night club for 10 minutes straight. But Kimmie's anything from pathetic. _

Kim was Shego's equal in a sense. They were alike in more ways than the villainess wanted to believe.

Through the raw anger that radiated off of Shego's shaking body, she choked as she realized one thing. No matter how badly she didn't want to admit it, she didn't want Kim to die. Especially not at the hands of these sorry excuses for human beings. If anyone was going to defeat Kim Possible, it was going to be Shego.

_That's why I don't want her to die. I'm just saving her so I can be the one to get the glory._

The nagging voice at the back of her head scoffed at her reasoning, but Shego ignored it as she felt her body heat rise. Her anger was bubbling over dangerously as she continued to eavesdrop on the villains' plotting.

But then, everyone fell silent as Drakken commanded them to stop in a harsh but nervous voice.

Shego felt a flash of panic as she realized how hot she was getting, her eyes practically glowing. Sweat splattered onto the layers of dust underneath her, caking her pale face with grime.

A few more uncomfortable seconds of silence followed until Drakken's voice broke through the thickening air.

"Shego. I can see your heat signature on the monitor," Drakken's voice was loud and echoed throughout the air ducts.

When Shego didn't budge a muscle, Drakken added a bit more firmly, "Come out. I know you're up there," his voice was laced with anxiety.

_Crap! I think it's time to start kicking ass._

Shego let the pot of anger that was simmering tip over, spilling all over the villains in the room. A series of bright green fireworks and flames lit up the clear air as Shego exploded out of the dusty vents. Villains and henchmen screamed as the room temporarily erupted in a hurricane of dancing fires. The villainess landed on the large circular table in the center of the room and punted a plate of bagels and cups of coffee onto the ground. She smirked wickedly as she stood amidst the chaos of green fury, enjoying the wonderful melodies of glass shattering and horrified shrieking.

Her joy was ended short as she felt a pair of sharp handcuffs lock around her left wrist with an audible click. Immediately whipping around before her right hand became bound to her left, she jerked to the side to send a flying roundhouse kick to her attacker. DNAmy flew across the room and landed on top of Drakken like a rag doll.

Shego clutched the dangling pair of handcuffs hanging from her one wrist and allowed her plasma to flare, watching the green flames lick the cool metal. Forcing her plasma to grow hotter, her eyes widened with panic as she saw the handcuffs retain their shape.

_Why aren't they melting?!_

She'd melted hundreds of handcuffs before, it wasn't hard to do at all.

_I guess it's fine, they're only on one hand anyway. It's just annoying as hell._

"Shego! So nice of you to join us," Senõr Senior Senior greeted as he sipped his cup of coffee, the scorching flames still blaring wildly around him.

Henchmen scrambled around the room with fire extinguishers, coughing as the lingering green fires scorched their uniforms. Looking up, she saw DNAmy grinning widely at her, quickly recovering from the blow to the ribs.

"Do you like them Shego? They were made specifically for you, although they would look better on two hands as opposed to one," the female geneticist sauntered over to Shego confidently, still grinning like the cat who ate the canary. In her hand, she held a syringe filled with a mysterious clear liquid casually, not even trying to conceal it.

Shego only bared her teeth in response as she turned to Drakken, still laying on the floor.

"What the hell is going on?! You have 5 seconds to explain yourself before I slaughter your dead ass!" Shego snarled at the blue scientist as he used a chair as a shield as if that was going to stop the villainess from tearing him apart. She took a threatening step forward as her hands were engulfed with green plasma, her wrath of hot energy bathing the room.

Breathing heavily, Shego was a push away from spiraling into a fury that could only be matched in hell. A gentle breeze was enough to send her plummeting over the edge and into the pits of rage boiling underneath. Her eyes glittered dangerously, and her fingertips cut into her skin as she clenched her fists tightly.

"Shego, it's nothing personal really. Orders are orders after all, and when push comes to shove, well, you know the rest," Drakken said as he still cowered behind the chair. He gave an almost apologetic glance as he held up a small remote and pressed a red button.

Blaring alarms screeched through Shego's head and she covered her sensitive ears to block out the painful noise. Flashing red lights clashed with her green aura, creating an almost festive flair of colors. Around a hundred henchmen came flooding into the room, all armed with guns and tasers or some other sort of weapon.

_Since when did we get guns around here?! And since when did these uninformed idiots learn to use anything more complicated than the coffee maker?!_

Shego let out an outraged battle cry and only had a second of preparation before the villains and henchmen charged.

_Yeah, I'm fucked._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~~

Kim thrashed in her sleep, letting out soft whimpers and moans from the onslaught of terrible nightmares that plagued every wink of rest she desired. Locked and rotting in a dungeon of shame and guilt, she found looking for the key to escape was next to impossible. Her endless torment was interrupted as a loud crash resonated across her room, shattering her troubled thoughts.

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Kim and Shego finally interact with each other for the first time since the dreadful tower incident! Enjoy!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 6_

With a sudden jolt, Kim awoke to a large figure crashing through her bedroom window, causing a spray of glittering light to scatter. She yelped as shards of blood-stained glass rained down on her, littering her bed with icy fragments. The onslaught of gem-like pebbles continued to pound the teen hero mercilessly, and she had to cover her face to avoid the confident pieces. When the downpour of tiny knives receded, Kim immediately leaped up into a defensive stance and brought her fists up. She kept the bed between her and the broken window, ready to duck at a moment's notice.

The wind howled angrily outside, and the bedroom's temperature dropped dramatically from the freezing rain. Pouring drops of frosty water splattered through the open window, illuminating the shining shards of glass still cracking onto the floor. Darkness still encased the room, and the only source of light was the soft glow of the weak sliver of the moon. Kim squinted her eyes as she saw the figure, still veiled in shadows, close the curtains. The thin fabric did little to stop the brewing storm, and Kim felt the freezing air whip against her face.

Despite being shroud in the black of night, Kim's eyes widened as she recognized the sharp features and curvaceous body of a certain female villain.

_Shego._

"Shego?" Kim whispered, choking on her uneven breath. The relief and elated joy she felt earlier from realizing the villainess was alive was now drifting away with the storm. What replaced it, were the feelings Kim suffered through every day for the past 3 months. Though she was awake, the constant nightmare never ended, and Kim truly believed she was living in it right now.

Clutching the sturdy headboard of her bed, Kim desperately tried not to faint as flashbacks of that terrible night clouded her eyes. Hot bile rose to her throat, and she leaned heavily on the wooden frame to avoid throwing up.

The shadowy figure emerged from the ribbons of darkness and stood beneath the pale moonlight. Kim's whip-like curtains lashed violently behind her, concealing the rain, but it couldn't block the storm of guilt and regret that flooded Kim's senses. A few seconds of stinging silence passed before Shego took a step toward the bed.

"…Yeah, it's me," Shego breathed softly, looking directly at Kim. Her stare was dauntless, but traces of anger and pain still lingered relentlessly behind her dull emerald eyes. A distant crash sounded from outside, and Kim could swear she heard the faint clamor of multiple voices. Like a pale streak of lightning, Shego suddenly dived into a corner caked with the inky blankets of night. She pressed herself against the wall and tucked her knees tightly to her chest, shooting anxious glances at the broken window.

Kim could barely stand upright from the shock and fear that coursed through her sluggish body, still weary from her restless sleep. Swiftly checking her alarm clock, the blinking time read 2:00.

_Am I dreaming? What would Shego be doing at 2 AM in my bedroom?_

She reached over tentatively and flipped the switch to her lamp, dimming the light until it emanated a soft glow equivalent to a candle. The warm light shimmered off the shards of glass decorating her room, making them glimmer fiercely like a million prized jewels.

It felt like wandering through an endless stream of stunning stars, only to be sucked into an inevitable whirlpool of guilt once she reached the riverbank. Waves of regret slammed into a flailing Kim, and she struggled to breathe with the sea of sadness surrounding her. Its liquid fangs clasped around her dry throat like a poisonous viper, latching onto her shallow breath. And when the last drops of grief swallowed her whole, she was dragged into the depths of despair. Her once strong and proud fire was extinguishing slowly from the torturous waters.

The warm glow of the lamp and pale moonlight reflected off of Shego's angular face, washing her complexion with a conflicting light. Kim took a few seconds to briefly study the woman she once called her enemy.

Shego's unmistakable green and black catsuit were tattered across her fit figure, multiple shreds revealing the skin it was hiding. Glistening sweat made her forehead shine, and thick layers of dirt and grime were plastered against her pale green face. Though her emerald green eyes were wide and alert, the pupils darting back and forth nervously, deep bags hung like tapestries underneath. She looked like she hadn't slept in years. Shego's face was sunken, and her cracked lips were slightly ajar as she breathed. Her long midnight hair was disheveled and individual strands were caked with clumps of dust, making her hair appear lighter than it actually was.

However, there was one thing about Shego that Kim's anxious eyes were being pulled towards like a magnet.

It was blood. So much blood.

Multiple cuts and scrapes covered Shego's arms and face, and more peeked out from underneath her torn uniform. A shiny pair of handcuffs were locked around her left hand, and Kim spotted deep cuts on her wrist where the metal was latched. Shego sported deep gashes on her forehead and leg, and the deathly liquid was oozing slowly down her body, leaving a trail of red behind. Kim's bedroom floor was stained crimson where Shego sat in her corner, shivering.

_What happened to her?_

"Kim, dear! Are you ok? What was that loud noise?" Ann's sleepy voice called from her parent's bedroom.

The teen hero fought back a rising wave of panic as she snapped her head to look at a wounded Shego and her shattered window.

_What do I do?! I can't tell them Shego's here. They'll call the cops or Global Justice on her._

"I'm fine, it was nothing mom!" Kim strained to keep her tone calm and even.

"That was an awfully noisy crash we heard. What happened?" James asked persistently, his voice groggy from sleeping.

Kim's eyes darted back and forth around her room frantically as her bedroom door creaked open slowly. In the shadows, two ghostly figures appeared as the twins stepped into the room. They gazed shockingly at Shego and the broken window before breaking into devilishly white smiles. Opening their mouths to answer their parents, undoubtedly to tattletale, Kim swiftly stepped in front of them.

"50 bucks for you to not say anything and think of an excuse to tell mom and dad. They can't come in here. I'll explain everything later," Kim quickly pleaded as she stared at the Tweebs desperately, ready to whip out the puppy dog pout.

"Only 50?" Jim asked, the corners of his mouth still in a wide grin.

"That sounds like you're lowballing," Tim concluded with the same evil expression.

"Our efforts are definitely worth more," Jim agreed.

"Fine. $50 _each_," Kim sighed in defeat.

_I can't believe I'm bribing my brothers to not turn in a wanted criminal! There goes my birthday money, this better be worth it._

"Kim?" James called again, a bit more firmly this time.

The brothers glanced at each other before nodding at Kim's offer. They sprinted to their parent's bedroom as Kim shut her door gratefully.

_That should give me enough time to think of something by morning._

Turning around to face the dark corner that Shego inhibited, she felt the pale thief's sharp gaze penetrate her mind.

"Why did you do that?" Shego asked with a disbelieving look. Her usually strong voice was hoarse and raspy as if she'd been screaming recently.

"Do what?" Kim asked.

"A wanted criminal just broke into your bedroom in the dead of night. Why didn't you let them turn me in?" Shego rolled her eyes as she spelled it out slowly as if it were obvious.

"I…I-I don't know," Kim stammered as she stared at the floor, unable to meet the villainess's gaze.

Kim knew exactly why she didn't turn Shego in. The guilt she was feeling was too powerful and too insistent for her to just ignore.

Shego grunted and turned her head to look at the open window as if she were expecting someone to attack at any moment. She was clutching a large slash on her thigh with both hands, attempting to use her shredded catsuit as a makeshift bandage. Blood seeped through her fingers and soaked the dangling pieces of fabric.

The wind had calmed to a rough breeze and the curtains swayed lazily with the draft. A light drizzle splashed against the windowsill, sending a wispy spray of mist into the bedroom.

"If you came here to kill me, just get it over with," Kim whispered as she felt the world crumbling around her. She wasn't even sure why she was giving up so easily, it wasn't like Kim at all to just accept defeat.

_Anything to kill these demons and end the lasting torment._

"Does it seriously look like I'm in any condition to kill anyone right now?" Shego asked with a scoff.

"T-Then, why are you here?" Kim was genuinely confused as to why the villainess would just show up at her house at 2 AM if she wasn't here for revenge.

"That's none of your business," Shego huffed as she wiped away a smear of blood across her face.

"As you said, a wanted criminal is in my bedroom at 2 in the morning. It's kinda my business now," Kim felt her fire start to rekindle as her mind attempted to process the events that just unfolded. It almost felt like a dream.

_A very strange, messed up dream. Or is this a nightmare?_

Shego only glared heatedly as Kim walked around her bed that separated the two girls.

"Why are you here?" Kim asked again softly as she looked down at the wounded villainess.

Opening her mouth to most likely fire back a sarcastic retort, Shego quickly closed it as Kim's door opened slowly. Kim felt herself let out a relieved breath she didn't realize she was holding as the Tweebs reappeared at the door. They peered around their sister to gape at Shego and the fragments of glass littering her bedroom. Kim could already feel the mountain of questions about to slide out of their mouths, and she held up a finger to her mouth hurriedly.

The twins seemed to get the idea as they spoke in low, hushed voices.

"Kim, isn't she the lady who's always trying to kill you?" Tim asked nervously as he took a good look at Shego.

"Yeah, she's the chick who can throw green fireballs right?" Jim squinted his eyes and ran a hand through his short brown hair.

"I'm right here you know!" Shego hissed quietly, her eyes glittering angrily from the disrespect.

"What are you doing here?" Tim inquired suspiciously.

"Aren't you supposed to be with that blue dude that Kim always fights?" Jim asked.

"Tweebs, don't ask any more questions. I'm about as in the dark as you are right now. Grab the first aid kit in the kitchen, and give it to me please," Kim ordered sternly.

The brothers looked ready to argue but thought against it as the rushed downstairs. In the corner of her eye, Kim noticed Shego wince as she covered up the gash on her leg. The bleeding hasn't stopped yet, and a dark red pool started forming underneath her thigh.

"Oh god, Shego your leg hasn't stopped bleeding," Kim gasped.

"No shit, Sherlock. Thanks for pointing that out! For a second there I thought it was actually ketchup seeping out. Silly me," Shego's cold voice dripped with disdain.

Distant shouting and gunfire sounded from outside, and Shego immediately crouched and buried her head against her knees. Pressing deeper into her corner, she looked like a little kid who just lost her teddy bear. She looked fragile, frightened, and utterly alone. It was a sight that stunned Kim.

_No. She's not alone right now. _

A light knock on the door made Kim turn around sharply. The twins stood at the entrance of her room and held a large red and white box labeled "first aid." She reached to grab it only to be stopped by two hands shooting forward, palms up as if they were expecting payment. And they were.

_Figures a woman is bleeding on my floor and they want money first._

Kim grit her teeth as she snatched her purse and dug out two $50 bills, handing one each to Jim and Tim's outstretched hands. They grinned to each other before preparing to shoot the girls with a dozen questions.

"Not now. Go to bed, and we'll talk in the morning," Kim ordered and took the first aid kit from them. She quickly ushered them out of her room before closing the door quietly, careful not to wake her parents again.

The autumn breeze carried fine drops of leftover rainwater, gently blowing into Kim's room. Chilled air, laced with streaks of the receding storm, made the redhead shiver slightly in her thin pajama top. She slowly stepped towards Shego as if she were a wild animal that could attack at any moment, and sat down a few feet away from the fallen villain. The first aid kit opened with a creak, and Kim dug through the sea of medical items to search for the treasures she hunted.

Pulling out some gauze, antibacterial wipes, antibiotic cream, and about a dozen bandages, she leaned forward hesitantly to treat Shego. The pale thief, however, slapped Kim's hand angrily away, her eyes glittering dangerously.

"I can treat my own wounds you know! I'm not disabled!" Shego growled under her breath.

Kim flinched from the tone as shame washed through her petite body. Pushing the supplies wordlessly over to Shego, she twisted her thumbs in her lap anxiously.

"Shego, what happened? Why are you at my house?" Kim asked softly as she watched the villainess clean the many cuts that covered her body.

_After what happened between us, why would Shego come to me, out of all people?_

"I was attacked and my apartment was too far away. You were closest to me and bleeding to death wasn't on my to-do list," Shego said vaguely as she wrapped her leg with a thick set of bandages. The white bandages almost immediately became soaked with blood, and Shego had to apply another layer of thick gauze.

"By who?" Kim asked evenly, masking her surprise that anyone would be dumb enough to attack the plasma wielding villainess.

When Shego refused to answer, Kim pointed to the clanking handcuffs around her left hand. "Maybe you can melt those off with your plasma?" The teen hero suggested.

"Don't you think I would have tried that already?" Shego snapped angrily, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Moody much?" Kim muttered under her breath.

_I'm just trying to help…_

Thanks to her sensitive hearing, Shego heard Kim and she snapped her head up to glare at the redhead, her pupils dilated slightly.

"You'd be moody too if every single villain and henchmen just decided one day to randomly attack you!" Shego snarled as she jabbed a finger at Kim's chest.

Kim could only stare in shock, her mouth hanging open and her olive eyes wide. If looks could kill, Shego's glare would've had the human race extinct. She glanced nervously at her door, praying to the universe that her parents didn't hear Shego's outburst.

"Was Drakken one of them?" Kim asked delicately, desperately trying not to upset the villainess more than she already had.

Shego nodded and began to use a wipe to roughly clean the dried blood and dirt that smothered her hollow cheeks. "DNAmy, Monkey Fist, Dementor, Duff Killigan, and the Seniors were all there too," she informed.

"Why did they all attack you?" Kim inquired, her head pounding with confusion and lack of sleep.

"I don't fucking know! To capture me. To kill me. To _betray _me," Shego said that word with absolute distaste.

Kim opened her mouth to say something, but Shego smoothly interrupted. "Everyone wants to betray me, it's bullshit. But I'm sure you know all about betrayal, don't you Kimmie?" Shego asked innocently, staring directly through Kim's fragile exterior.

Kim felt her tongue crawl to the back of her dry throat as she looked down at the ground in shame. Despite the freezing night and foggy air, the young hero felt hot as regret burned her charred heart.

"Shego…Please listen, I-" Kim plead as tears started building in her eyes.

"Don't. Just… don't," Shego interrupted and held up a hand to stop Kim.

"But, I-" Kim tried to start again.

"No. I know what you're trying to bring up, and I don't want to hear anything about it. So, don't," Shego warned as she turned her head to face the exposed window. She placed the dirty wipes off to the side in a crumpled heap and tossed the unused supplies back into the small box, closing the lid shut.

Kim hung her head dejectedly as icy tears fell for the second time that night. Her ruffled red mane concealed her face as she did her best to stifle her quiet sobs. After a few minutes, the teen looked up to hear the light footsteps of Shego as she limped over to the open window.

"Where are you going?" Kim asked, her voice empty and raw with grief. She stood up too rapidly, and her body swayed from the sudden rush of blood to her head. Cheeks glistening like the rocks behind a waterfall, the teen wiped her red eyes with her sleeve.

"Out. I'm not staying here," Shego stated flatly, her back facing Kim.

"Wait! You're wounded and tired. The villains and henchmen are still out there looking for you, I can hear them out there just as well as you," Kim kept her tone even as she tried to logically reason with the stubborn thief.

_I lost her before. I can't lose her again. All of this is happening because of me. _

"So? That's never stopped me before," Shego said defiantly.

"Shego, you said it yourself. You're in no condition to fight anyone right now," Kim argued. "I don't want to see you get hurt," she added tenderly, her voice aching with sadness.

"I think it's a little bit too late for that Princess," Shego said coldly. Her words whipped against Kim, and the teen hero visibly flinched as if she'd been struck.

"I know…" Kim admitted with a strained expression.

_I hurt her. I hurt her worse than anyone else ever did. This is all my fault._

Shego was still turned away from Kim as she said nothing, her raven hair floating aimlessly with the chilly draft. Her handcuffs dangled like a heavy pair of keys from her newly-wrapped left wrist.

"Shego, stay," Kim whispered, her eyes shut tightly as darkness enveloped her into a suffocating embrace. Her breath was lodged at the back of her throat as if it were a piece of food she couldn't get down. "Please," she added when Shego didn't answer.

"Fine," Shego said tersely as she huddled back in her corner, the floor still painted red with her blood. She dragged her bruised knees to her chest and laid her bandaged head in the crook of her elbow. Her eyes fluttered open in surprise when she felt a warm blanket wrap around her tattered shoulders, covering the shredded catsuit.

"You can have my bed, I'll take the floor," Kim said as she quickly brushed away the glass fragments littered on her bed. After most of the pieces had disappeared into the floor, she held out an arm to help Shego up.

The villainess just swatted the helping hand away and limped over to the bed stubbornly. She sat down on the edge and pulled the blanket tighter over her, shielding her exposed body from the breeze. Fiddling with the handcuffs, Shego growled in frustration as they remained locked tightly around her wrist.

"I can call Wade for help to get those off. He'll know what to do," Kim offered as she grabbed her Kimmunicator off her nightstand.

"I don't need your or Nerdlinger's pity help," Shego huffed as she stared heatedly at the window.

"You said you can't melt them. How're you going to get them off?" Kim asked a fuming Shego.

Not waiting for her response, the teen pushed a few buttons and dialed Wade. After a few rings, it was evident he wasn't going to pick up the phone, and Kim sighed tiredly as she set the device on the floor where she planned on sleeping.

"He's not answering the phone," Kim said mostly to herself, but Shego thought it was directed to her.

"Gee Princess, I wonder why? I know this is a long shot, but do you think it might have something to do with the fact that it's fucking _2 in the morning?_" Shego wondered out loud, the biting sarcasm in her voice making Kim inwardly wince.

"I'll call him again in the morning, and we can get those things off you," Kim promised as she walked towards her door.

"I don't need your empty promises," Shego grumbled as she crossed her arms over her chest, the handcuffs making it difficult to do so.

Kim pretended like she didn't hear the comment as she tiptoed past her parents' bedroom. She fled downstairs to grab an extra pillow and blanket and a glass of water for Shego. Sneaking past her brothers' room, she entered her sparkling bedroom and locked the door behind her. Carefully stepping around her floor that was still bestrewn with diamond-like glass, she reached the side of her bed with relief.

Shego gratefully took the water that was handed to her, and she chugged the cup dry. With a torn sleeve, she wiped her mouth and stared down into the empty glass, silently wishing more water would appear.

Using her spare blanket like a makeshift broom, Kim brushed away the glittering shards that covered the part of the floor she planned to sleep on.

_I know my sleep is going to be hard and uncomfortable. But there's no way I'm going to wake up to glass fragments impaling my back._

Kim noticed Shego staring blankly at her empty cup and snapped the villainess out of her intense thoughts. "Did you want more water?" Kim asked, taking the object from Shego's pale hands.

Shego shook her head roughly and laid down with her back facing the teen hero. She wasn't weak. She didn't need anyone's help.

Kim stared at Shego's curled up figure for a second longer before setting the glass onto her nightstand and killing the lamplight. The room was immediately engulfed with a tsunami of shadows, the dark night ribboning every crevice and corner.

Flopping down on the floor with heavy eyes, Kim winced as her back arched against the hard surface. She struggled to find a comfortable position as she wrestled with her extra thin blanket.

_It's like sleeping on concrete._

"Goodnight, Shego," Kim whispered to the ceiling, loud enough for the villainess to hear.

The only sound worse than the horrific screams in her constant nightmares was the painful silence that followed Kim into her troubled sleep.

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Kim and Shego finally interact with each other for the first time since the dreadful tower incident! Enjoy!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 7_

Betty Director sat at her mahogany desk, tiredly typing a detailed report on her computer. A large mountain of paperwork piled high next to her cold mug of coffee, casting long shadows over the woman. The office she inhibited was quaint and humble considering her high position on staff. A single table littered with files, paperwork, and her computer sat in the middle of the room, and two guest chairs pressed against the walls near the entrance. A diploma and certificate hung on the plain white walls behind the Director, and a family photo was plastered in the center.

The quick clicks and taps of her keyboard echoed throughout her large, silent office. It was early at Global Justice Headquarters, and the cubicles and main offices were mostly empty other than the occasional security guard or agent on a night shift. The short-haired brunette wiped a bead of sweat that splashed onto her black eye patch as she finished writing the document.

A short series of knocks sounded from outside her office, making the Director jump.

"Come in," Dr. Director ordered, her voice laced with fatigue. She had come into work early today to finish some paperwork that was left to collect dust since Monday.

A thin, young man walked confidently through the door. His neat brown hair was cropped short, and he donned a dark blue uniform. On his shirt, a shiny, gold name tag read _"Agent Du."_

"Good morning Dr. Director," Will Du greeted as he saluted in front of the stack of disheveled papers hiding his boss.

"Good morning Will. You're an hour early for your shift, what're you here to report?" Dr. Director asked as she pushed the paperwork to the side of her desk.

"Shego is alive and has been spotted back in Middleton. An anonymous call was tipped to the local police. When they found out, they called headquarters," Will stated his report, standing tall and proud as if he made a revolutionary discovery.

"Did you trace the call's location?" Dr. Director asked as she typed a few things into her computer.

"Our Computer Technology Team is trying to do that at the moment, but the anonymous call seems to have been hacked with an untraceable tracker," Will said with a frown.

"The caller obviously wanted to stay anonymous. There's more to this report isn't there Will?" Dr. Director inquired knowingly.

"Yes, the caller claimed that Shego broke into Kim Possible's bedroom late last night," Will nodded.

"Kim Possible? That's very unlike Shego's style to attack Kim while she's unprepared and most vulnerable. Is this claim true?" Dr. Director asked as she typed furiously.

"Yes, our hackers found footage, though mostly blurry, from a neighbor's security camera. The break-in occurred at precisely 2:03 AM last night," Will nodded again.

"Send a team of agents to Kim's aid immediately," Dr. Director ordered sternly.

"Dr. Director there's one more thing you should understand," Will started.

"What is it, Will?" Dr. Director asked vexedly, looking up from her writing.

"A physical fight did not transpire at Kim's house. The camera's footage also showed no signs of Shego leaving the property," Will informed.

"Are you still presently tracking Kim's house?" Dr. Director questioned with a deep frown.

"Yes, Shego has still yet to leave," Will confirmed.

"Quite interesting news for a Saturday morning," Dr. Director said flatly with a thoughtful look in her dark brown eye.

Will looked at her questioningly but kept up his pretentious attitude. He stood stiffly in the awkward silence as he waited for his next orders.

"Send a small team of agents to perform a thorough search of Kim's house," Dr. Director strongly commanded as she stood up from her chair. With a strong salute, Will briskly left her office and marched down the dimly lit hallway.

Taking a quick swig of her chilled coffee, the brunette murmured to herself as she hurried out the door.

"If Kim is truly associating with Shego, it seems like I now have two criminals to catch."

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Pastel sunlight filtered through the thin curtains, showing the beauty of the many tan hues weaving together in the fabric. The warm morning glow floated through the open window, making the floor, still bestrewn with shards of crystal, shine like the Milky Way. A gentle breeze laced with mists of dew billowed into the bedroom and latched onto the shattered glass.

Considering the events of last night, the morning felt oddly peaceful.

The blaring sirens of an alarm clock interrupted the comfortable silence that enveloped the room. Its persistent beeping was met with a groan from the floor beside the bed.

Kim, still laying on the hard surface, reached a hand up to shut off her alarm. Her fingers fumbled blindly until they found the button that killed the painful sounds. Her olive eyes fluttered open and her lower back was immediately greeted with a sore strain.

_Why am I on the floor?_

Glancing up to look at the time on her nightstand, Kim saw the clock flash 7:00 AM. Her eyes were still weary with sleep, and she brought a cold hand up to rub them awake. Untangling the vine-like blanket wrapped around her legs, Kim stood up and looked over at her bed.

She momentarily froze when she saw Shego laying on her back, the blanket tousled around her chest.

_What's Shego doing here?_

Kim's eyes, clouded with confusion, cleared after a second as the memories from last night replayed.

_So that wasn't some weird dream._

Feeling suspicious, Kim briefly did a body check on herself and found not a scratch or bruise on her.

_Huh. Glad to know Shego didn't try to kill me in my sleep._

Kim gazed at the wounded villainess sleeping on her bed, barely clothed in her tattered catsuit. Flat, white bandages streaked with red stains were snaked like bow ties around various places on her body, most notably her leg and head. She looked like a halfway unwrapped mummy. Shego's eyes were still closed, and her face was relaxed in a neutral, almost peaceful, expression. Thick clumps of dirt ribboned in her raven hair, making it seem grayer than it actually was. Warm rays bounced gently off her face, mixing in beautifully with her pale green complexion. Her chest rose up and down slowly with her deep, even breaths, and Kim found herself staring.

"Are you going to keep ogling me like that?" Shego asked flatly, her eyes still closed.

A light red tone washed Kim's cheeks and she turned away sharply, fingers fiddling nervously with her pajama top buttons. Though Shego's eyes were shut, Kim could just imagine her piercing gaze striking the teen hero down. Once the initial shock and embarrassment subsided, Kim finally found her voice as her eyes settled on random objects. She looked at the floor, ceiling, or her bed, anywhere that wasn't Shego.

"I-I wasn't ogling!" Kim protested fiercely as the blush spread further across her face.

Shego didn't respond as she turned her bandaged head to look Kim up and down. Her emerald eyes were open and sparkled, and she raised an eyebrow at the teen hero's flushed face.

"I was…I was just surprised to see you still here," Kim said lamely, mentally face-palming at her terrible lying skills.

_It's not a lie! I just forgot Shego was here, that's all._

"Mhm, sure Princess," Shego snorted with a disbelieving look in her eyes. Deep bags hung like ornaments under her eyes, and a thin line of sweat stretched down the side of her head.

"Did you get a good sleep?" Kim changed the subject as the pink painted on her cheeks receded. Carefully stepping over the fragments of shimmering glass that littered her bedroom floor, she plopped down on her office chair at her desk. She swung the chair around and looked at Shego, grabbing a brush from her desk.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Shego grumbled as she flipped onto her side, her exposed back facing Kim.

"I didn't sleep well either if that makes you feel better," Kim informed her with a sad smile that Shego couldn't see. It was obvious that the villainess had a restless and troubled sleep. Even a blind person could feel that.

"Does it look like I care?" Shego asked with a loud scoff.

"Apparently not," Kim muttered as she started brushing her wild, ruffled mane.

"I just wanted you to know that I have nightmares too," Kim explained softly. She shook her head as she forcefully pushed away the memories haunting her foggy mind.

"Again, I don't care. And I don't have nightmares about anything," Shego lied gruffly. She was thankful Kim couldn't see the pained expression darkening on her frowning face.

Sensing Shego's growing irritation, Kim decided not to press the subject, not wanting to piss off the villainess more than she already was. She sighed as she gazed wistfully around her room. Bloodstains and shattered glass littered her floor, and Ron's textbooks and papers were scattered and ripped. It looked like a very bloody tornado had torn into her room, its swirling vortex shredding everything it touched.

Distant birds chirped their seasonal melodies, letting the musical tweets drift with the autumn breeze. Kim found their songs lovely and her eyes closed contently. Shego, however, was having none of that. Whipping back around to face Kim, she shot a harsh glare at the bustling mixture of sounds from outside.

"Who the hell wakes up at 5 in the morning on a Saturday?" She growled at Kim.

"Shego, first of all, it's 7:00. And secondly, keep your voice down if you don't want to end up in a cell. Finally, if you want to shower before my parents are awake, then I'd suggest you get up," Kim said in a hushed tone, anxious that her mom or dad will enter her room at any second.

"Whatever. Figures the perfect princess wakes up early on a _Saturday_," Shego huffed.

"Hey, it's _my_ house and _my_ room you're staying in. I can wake up at any time I want," Kim pointed out.

"I'm not staying here with you people," Shego growled as she fiddled with her handcuffs.

"You can leave as soon as you can walk normally. I owe you that…and more," Kim said softly as she looked at her bare feet.

Shego only stared with a slightly irked, blank expression. A deep frown lined her face, and a flash of pain briefly blinded her clear emerald eyes. The awkward silence was physically hurting Kim.

"I'm going to take a shower. I'll hurry so you can take one after me. My parents usually wake up at 8:00 on weekends," Kim said briskly, quickly tiptoeing past the icy spears laying on her floor.

_Thank god I have my own bathroom. I don't want my parents finding long black hair in theirs._

"You know Pumpkin, if you're worried about time, we can always take a shower together," Shego smirked, a nefarious glint in her eyes. She raised a hand to her face and inspected her chipped nails nonchalantly.

"In your dreams," Kim scoffed as she headed towards her bathroom.

"I'd actually consider those nightmares," Shego said smugly.

Kim just rolled her tired eyes in response as she closed the bathroom door behind her, making sure to lock it. While brushing her teeth, she groaned as her thoughts and worries relished in the silence. Her feelings brewed slowly in a giant melting pot of emotions, waiting for the green flame that allowed them to boil.

The endless guilt and regret that washed through her every time she looked at Shego were overwhelming. She felt elated joy and relief to know Shego was still alive. Well, barely alive. She felt disappointment at herself for what she had become. She felt indignation at Shego for making her life more complicated than it already was. She felt miserable from the shame of the realization of how badly she hurt Shego. She felt stressed by having to hide Shego from her parents and the villains who were hunting her.

_I'm so confused. What should I be feeling right now?_

Kim quickly shed her pajamas and stepped into the small shower. Coldwater transformed into a pleasant warmth as it cascaded down onto the redhead's frowning face. She let out a content sigh as the light splattering waterfall washed away the dirt and grime of last night.

_Oh god, what do I tell my parents? _

Squirting some sweet-scenting shampoo into her hands, Kim massaged her tangled red mane thoroughly. She inhaled the festive pumpkin spice scent of the soap, her fingertips caressing her scalp.

_Good morning Mom and Dad! You know that loud crash you heard last night? Well, guess what? I lied, and it was actually a wounded Shego breaking into my bedroom at 2 AM! But please don't call the cops, because I've now decided to nurse and heal a very dangerous super-powered villainess back to full health!_

Hot ribbons of steam billowed from the shower, making the small bathroom stuffy and humid.

_This is fantastic. I'm overjoyed that I have no idea how to explain this sitch. I'm so dead._

Kim let the streams of water flow through her hair and down her fit body.

_Wow, I spend one night with Shego and her sarcasm is already rubbing off on me._

Turning off the shower, Kim reached for her light pink towel and hastily dried herself off. The coarse fabric greedily sucked up the moisture as Kim scanned the bathroom with a frown.

_And of course, I'm so distracted this morning that I forgot to bring a change in clothes. This is so embarrassing. _

Wrapping the towel tightly around her body, Kim stomped out into her bedroom heatedly. She hopped around the sea of sharp objects on her floor and opened her drawer with a dripping arm. Feeling Shego's eyes trail up and down lazily on her soaking wet figure, she whipped her head around so that the villain couldn't see her red face.

With one hand clutching the top of her towel tightly, she used the other to rummage through the messy variety of clothes scattered in her drawers. She pulled out a clean pair of underwear, some baggy sweatpants, a sports bra, and a plain t-shirt. Spinning around to head back to the bathroom with the fresh clothes bundled under one arm, she stopped in her wet tracks. She turned her head to see Shego staring at her amusedly, her sardonic expression filled with mirth.

"What?" Kim asked, the light blush never leaving her cheeks.

"Just wanted to let you know that your towel's slipping," Shego smirked.

Kim squawked vexedly as she tightened her grip around the rough fabric, holding it against her chest tightly like a prized treasure.

"Why are you so embarrassed? You know you can just change out here, we're both girls after all," Shego rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

"Fine. Turn around," Kim ordered firmly as she waited for Shego to comply.

"Wow Kimmie, I didn't know you were such a prude," Shego snickered evilly but flipped over anyhow.

Not taking her eyes off of Shego's back, Kim let the towel fall to the floor in a heap. In less than a minute, she swiftly slipped on her clean clothes and picked up the wet towel.

"I'm done changing, so you can turn back over now," Kim informed tiredly.

"No thanks, I like the view over here better," Shego said as she stared with interest at the bare wall.

Kim decided to ignore the subtle insult and go back to worrying about her parents. Gathering up her crumpled pajamas from the bathroom floor, she tossed them into a laundry basket.

She dug through her drawers and pulled out a spare white towel as well as a pair of ripped jeans, another black sports bra, and a loose forest-green V-neck shirt.

_Convenient that Shego and I are around the same size in almost everything. Well, aside from cup-size and height._

"Here's some clean clothes for you to change into after your shower," Kim said as she tossed the items onto her bed.

"Your taste in clothes is almost as bland as your taste in boyfriends Princess," Shego said flatly as she inspected the loose-fitting clothes with mild distaste.

"Well, it's either my bland clothes or your shredded up, dirty catsuit," Kim retorted.

"I'd honestly prefer the latter," Shego huffed but snatched Kim's clothes up anyway. Carefully sliding off the bed and landing on one foot, the raven-haired woman avoided putting pressure on her injured leg.

She limped a few feet, wincing slightly with every step, and almost tripped over a heavy half-closed textbook.

"Really organized with your schoolwork eh?" Shego asked sarcastically. She took a moment to catch her breath and lean heavily against the bed frame, taking all the pressure off her leg.

"Those are Ron's, he was over here yesterday studying with me," Kim informed her as she tried cleaning up the ripped papers and glittering glass fragments.

"Aww, little Kimmie scored a study date with the buffoon!" Shego clasped her hands together with fake enthusiasm, the mockery dripping from her voice.

"Shego, Ron and I aren't an item. We broke up like two years ago, and we only dated for a few months. Why does everyone keep thinking we're together?" Kim asked exasperatedly, laying a hand across her forehead.

"Not many people stay this close with their ex, Pumpkin," Shego said flatly.

"Well, Ron's always going to be my best friend and my loyal sidekick on missions, no matter if we're in a romantic relationship or not," Kim said as she briskly swept away the larger pieces of glass.

_Why couldn't Shego have just opened my window instead of literally crashing through?_

"Anyways, weren't you dating Drakken?" Kim asked nonchalantly.

"Ewww, no! Doy! He's just my boss, well ex-boss, and he's twice my age!" Shego exclaimed with a disturbed expression. She pretended to gag and clamped her hand around her mouth for added effect.

"I thought Drakken was only in his 40s?" Kim wondered with a frown.

"How old do you think I am?!" Shego's demanded as her green eyes darkened dangerously.

"I dunno. 29? Early 30s?" Kim guessed with a small shrug.

"I'm 23!" Shego practically shrieked.

_Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if my parents have been listening to us arguing this whole time. We've been so loud. _

"You're only 23?" Kim asked incredulously, not bothering to hide the shock in her eyes.

_I had no idea Shego was so young. That only makes me feel even guiltier. _

"Yes! Do I seriously look that old?" Shego exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"Well, how about you guess my age then? Since I got yours so pathetically wrong," Kim suggested.

"Hmm, you act like you're 10, but your body screams 15. So I'm going to average it out to 12 years of age," Shego grinned evilly, her eyes looking Kim up and down.

"12?! I'm 18!" It was Kim's turn to shriek.

"I'm joking Kimmie, of course I know your age," Shego sniggered as she rolled her eyes distastefully. Noticing her path was mostly clear of harmful items, she limped defiantly towards the bathroom and shut the door.

Kim heard the muffled voices of her parents from outside the hall, most likely awake and getting ready for work.

_The one time I'm actually grateful my parents work on weekends. Hopefully, they leave before hitting me with a no-doubt intense interrogation. _

Her parent's voices grew louder as they neared her room, and Kim found herself holding her breath. Loud clattering and yelling from the Tweebs distracted her parents, and they went downstairs to check on the boys.

_I'm not sure if Jim and Tim did that on purpose, but thank god they did. I'm definitely not ready to explain this complicated sitch._

A loud buzz startled Kim from her thoughts, and her Kimmunicator's screen lit up to signal a call. She picked up the small, vibrating device and checked the caller ID.

_Wade._

"What's the sitch, Wade?" Kim asked quietly.

"I should be asking you that Kim. After all, you're the one who called me at 2 in the morning!" Wade said crossly.

"I know, I know, I'm so sorry Wade. Did I wake you up?" Kim asked in an apologetic tone.

_I wasn't even thinking straight last night. Yesterday sure was eventful. _

"Don't worry, you didn't. So, what's the important sitch that couldn't wait till morning?" Wade inquired with his hands resting on his long keyboard.

"Do you know how to unlock handcuffs? Specifically designed handcuffs, not the regular ones that law enforcement use," Kim asked nervously.

"I could probably do it; I'd just need to see the design and type first. Why do you need me to unlock handcuffs?" Wade questioned with a frown.

"Well-" Kim was interrupted with a low snarl from across her room. She whipped her head around to see Shego dressed in her baggy clothes, the wet bandages hanging limply around her body. Her jet-black hair was now clean and flowed like waves to her waist, and under her arm, she held the tattered catsuit.

"Turning me in to Nerdlinger already Princess?" Shego growled icily as she limped towards Kim, hurling the ruined catsuit on the bed.

"No! I was just asking Wade about the handcuffs and-" Kim quickly defended herself before Wade's voice sounded from her Kimmunicator.

"Kim, who was that?" Wade asked with narrowed eyes.

_Crap I forgot to turn it off! Wade probably heard Shego's voice!_

"That was uh- umm-" Kim stammered as she frantically thought up a lie.

Saving Kim the trouble of telling a blatantly obvious lie, Shego smoothly stepped forward.

"That would be me, genius," Shego said as she leaned over so that her face was visible to Wade. She grinned widely and waved her right hand at the screen mockingly.

Kim gawked at Shego, too shocked that the villainess just revealed herself to say anything.

Noticing Kim's stunned expression, Shego shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"If your little genius friend reports me to the police and says I'm here, I'll just leave," she explained with another shrug.

"Kim, what-" Wade began to ask as he gaped at the villainess.

"Wade, listen, please don't turn Shego in. Something big is happening; the villains all turned on her. I don't know the specifics, but I'll explain it all to you when I find out. Trust me on this," Kim interrupted with a swift glance over at Shego. Popping out her lower lip and forcing her eyes to grow wide and teary, she broke out the puppy dog pout.

Wade regarded the pathetic look Kim whipped out of nowhere, and he shook his head defeatedly.

"Ok Kim, I trust your judgment. I just hope you know what you're getting into," Wade nodded after a few seconds but continued to look at Shego suspiciously.

"I think I understood that the moment I let her stay the night, Wade. Anyways, can you get these off?" Kim asked as she grabbed the handcuffs from Shego's bandaged wrist. Holding them up for the computer genius to see, she looked at him expectantly.

"I think so. Shego hold them up so Kim can scan them with her Kimmunicator," Wade ordered as he began typing.

Shego obliged as Kim held up the device, a wide, red beam reflecting off of the metal cuffs. With a small beep, the light disappeared and Wade began furiously mapping and studying the handcuffs.

The sound of tires screeching outside made Kim scramble over to her open window curiously. Large, black vans surrounded her house, each car sporting an unmistakable Global Justice logo on the side.

_What's Global Justice doing here?!_

"I'm impressed you called your buddies at Global Justice that fast Kimmie," Shego said with an accusing glare.

"I didn't Shego! I swear I didn't!" Kim whispered fiercely as she looked at Wade expectantly. He held his hands up as if she had just threatened him with a gun.

"Don't look at me like that Kim, it wasn't me," Wade informed her with a shake of his head.

"It's fine, I believe you. We're going to have to postpone the unhand-cuffing Shego thing for later, talk to you in a bit!" Kim said quickly.

"Alright Kim, call me later and stay safe," Wade nodded with one last skeptical glare at Shego.

Kim hung up and peered out her window to see GJ agents flooding out of the vans, encircling her house. Their uniforms looked sleek and shiny in the rising sun, and some had guns strapped across their backs.

"I didn't know you were throwing a surprise party for me! It's not even my birthday and yet so many of your friends showed up to celebrate!" Shego sardonically gasped, her evident sarcasm making Kim wince.

"Shego, I didn't call them here! I swear I didn't do anything!" Kim cried desperately, silently hoping the villainess would believe her.

Shego only snorted disbelieving and crossed her arms over her chest, tinkering with the heavy metal dangling from her wrist.

"Kim! Come downstairs to the living room, please! Someone's here to talk to you," Ann called.

_Oh god, this is bad. Very bad._

"Coming, in a minute!" Kim yelled back as she gestured wildly for Shego to hide and stay quiet.

Shego found herself curling up in a tight ball in the same corner she inhibited last night. The floor beneath her was still stained crimson and littered with dried, dirty wipes. She looked up sharply to see Kim's hand resting gently on her bare arm.

"Please believe me. I had nothing to do with this. Honest," Kim insisted softly as she kneeled in front of Shego, her olive eyes streaked with sorrow.

_It's my fault Shego's lost all trust in me. But did she even trust me before?_

Shego only stared for a few seconds before looking away.

"It's ok. I believe you Pumpkin," Shego whispered, shrugging off Kim's comforting hand.

"Stay there and stay quiet. I'll talk to whoever wants to see me and get GJ to leave. I'll come back for you," Kim promised firmly before getting up.

_I'm not afraid. _

Shego nodded and laid her head down in the crook of her elbow, burying her nose in the shirt Kim lent her. It smelled faintly of cinnamon, and the aroma calmed her nerves. Despite it not being cold, Kim grabbed her blanket and wrapped it gently around Shego's shoulders like she had last night. The villainess didn't want to admit it, but the gesture was comforting and she accepted the blanket.

Kim gazed at the curled up villainess one last time before heading out, closing the door behind her. She walked downstairs nervously as she tried to desperately straighten her jumbled thoughts and worries. Once she reached the living room, she stood frozen at the entrance. Her parents sat on the couch across from a short-haired brunette in a dark blue GJ uniform, chatting lightly. The slim woman had a black eye patch on her right eye, and she held a small cup of tea. The trio looked up when they noticed Kim arrive, and the woman smiled at the teen hero.

_Dr. Director._

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	9. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Oh no, Global Justice is on to them :0

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 8_

"Good morning, Ms. Possible. I'm so sorry I showed up on such short notice," Dr. Director greeted as she took a sip of her tea. Her expression was disturbingly neutral, her blank eyes not giving away anything she was feeling.

_More like no notice. Phones exist you know! A friendly phone call would've sufficed. _

Her parents sat together on the couch, looking at Kim with sudden interest. Their stoic expressions gave away nothing, but the teen hero could tell their eyes were searching her for anything unusual.

"It's quite alright Dr. Director. What can I do you for you?" Kim asked politely. She plastered a smile on her face to conceal the growing anxiety.

_Smile and look normal. Smile and look normal. Smile and look normal._

"Your parents tell me they heard a loud crash last night from your room. Are you alright?" Dr. Director inquired as she looked Kim up and down.

"Yeah Kimmie-cub, what _was_ that sound?" James asked as he leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. Ann sat quietly beside him but narrowed her eyes nonetheless.

_What do I say?! I can't tell them about Shego now that GJ is here!_

As Kim frantically searched for what she was going to say, the Tweebs stumbled in from the kitchen. She noticed their surprised faces as they looked between their sister and the GJ agent. Silently praying to the universe that they wouldn't give Shego away, she almost jumped for joy when her wishes were granted.

_Please let that 100 bucks be worth it!_

"Sorry, mom and dad! That was us last night," Tim lied smoothly, his voice loud and confident.

"Yeah, we were trying to pull a prank on Kim. But she woke up before the main event and kicked our butts!" Jim explained with a cheeky grin.

_I wish I was as good as a liar as those little imps. Even I'm convinced, and I was there when it happened!_

Kim inwardly sighed as she blinked gratefully at her brothers. Her parents both laughed lightly at the boys but Dr. Director still stared directly at Kim, looking unconvinced. The redhead noticed the sharp gaze and felt a small bead of sweat run down the side of her smiling face.

"That explains it, I'm glad we cleared things up," Dr. Director said in a clipped tone to Ann and James.

"That's a relief, that's for sure. When we heard the crash, we were scared that it was someone breaking in. It's great to know that it was just the boys being boys," Ann laughed lightheadedly.

_Oh, the cruel irony._

"Of course. Mr. and Mrs. Drs. Possible, may I speak with Kim for a moment in private?" Dr. Director asked with a small nod towards Kim.

_Something's up, I know it. I'm screwed._

Confusion clouded her parent's eyes but they complied anyways. They quickly ushered the twins out of the living room and back into the kitchen to eat breakfast. When they were out of sight, Dr. Director set down her cup of tea and regarded Kim with narrowed eyes.

"Ms. Possible, please have a seat," Dr. Director ordered as she sat down, gesturing to the chair across from her. Kim sat down carefully as if the seat would burn her, and she did her best to keep a neutral gaze. Clutching the edges of the seat to hold still, she forced a smile as Dr. Director studied her closely.

"Is there uhm something you wanted to talk to me about?" Kim asked awkwardly when the silence became too uncomfortable to bear.

_Goddamn, I feel like I just got caught committing a crime. Wait, oh god, nevermind, I did._

"Yes, I just have a few questions for you. I'd like to apologize beforehand however for disturbing you this fine morning. You must be very busy," Dr. Director said in a clipped, formal tone.

_She's never this formal with me. And since when did she start calling me Ms. Possible? _

"Dr. Director, you can just call me Kim. And I have time for a few questions, what did you need to know?" Kim asked politely.

"Ok Kim, do you know where Shego is right now?" Dr. Director started the interrogation.

"I heard she was spotted around Middleton last night," Kim answered honestly.

_That's right. Keep the answers vague and short. You're doing great._

"Do you have any idea of her current location?" Dr. Director asked. She held a small device in her hands and was typing Kim's responses down.

_Other than the fact that she's 20 feet away from us? Nope, no idea._

"No, ma'am. I know she's in Middleton from the news, but I don't know where specifically," Kim said, straining to keep calm. Her mouth was as dry as a sandbox on a hot summer day, and she had a hard time swallowing her nervousness. The atmosphere felt more uncomfortable and awkward than any date she'd gone on in the past, and Dr. Director's blank stare was not making her feel any better.

_That's right. Keep cool. Keep cool._

"Are you sure?" Dr. Director pressed, leaning forward slightly.

"Yes, I'm sure," Kim said tersely. Clenching her teeth, she tightened every muscle in her lithe body to keep from dropping her stoic expression.

_Don't. Move. Smile, and don't move._

"What happened last night, Kim? You and I both know that your brothers couldn't have caused that much of a racket," Dr. Director questioned almost slyly. She had a glint in her dark brown eyes that told Kim the Director knew more than she was telling.

_Shit, she's suspicious! _

"Nothing out of the ordinary happened Dr. Director. My brothers do this sort of thing quite often," Kim lied smoothly. She mentally pat herself on the back for keeping her nervousness in check.

_That was the most convincing lie I've ever told, yay me!_

However, the Director looked unconvinced as she raised an eyebrow. Kim noticed and immediately started fidgeting again, laughing awkwardly to break up the painful silence. The tension between the two made the air feel heavy, and Kim could just imagine the sound of crickets chirping.

"Kim, I'd like for you to be truthful with me now. You wouldn't be happening to be housing a wanted criminal here, would you?" Dr. Director asked nonchalantly as if she was questioning Kim about the weather. Her face was infuriatingly calm and neutral, her smile almost smug.

_She knows. Oh god. It's ok, it's ok. Stay calm, it's cool._

"No ma'am," Kim said through gritted teeth. Forcing her breathing to remain even, she met Dr. Director's amused gaze coolly.

"Hmm very well. Due to the circumstances of our current investigation of Shego, my team and I are required to perform a quick search of your room," Dr. Director informed flatly as she pressed a few buttons on her device.

"No!" Kim protested as she jumped up to her feet. Realizing her spastic reaction, she mentally scolded herself for losing the calm front.

_Damnit my cover's blown! Stay calm!_

Dr. Director raised an eyebrow questioningly, and she looked at Kim slyly, her eyes glittering with amusement.

"I uhm- my room is extremely messy! You can barely walk in it," Kim said lamely.

_I mean, technically that's not really a lie. It looks like a bloody hurricane just swallowed my room, swished it around for a bit, and spat it back out with Shego adding to the prize. _

"Messy rooms are the least of our worries. We will still be able to proceed with the investigation," Dr. Director said firmly as she stood up.

_Hell no! Time for Plan B! Wait- what's Plan B? _

Kim glanced at the top of the stairs briefly, and she frantically rummaged through her mind for an excuse. It felt like she was standing in the middle of a growing ring of fire. There was no escape as she felt the hot flames tenderly lick her face, knowing her burning was inevitable. Occasionally, small openings of freedom would appear, only to immediately be blocked by the fires as soon as she got close. She could only stand and wait for the hot ribbons of scorching light to consume her whole.

_This is fantastic, I didn't think of an escape plan!_

"At least give me a minute to make the space more hospitable. You're my guests after all!" Kim said sweetly, trying to mask the panic in her voice. She swiftly stepped in front of Dr. Director, blocking the staircase.

"Of course," Dr. Director nodded politely and sat back down. Her tone was formal but Kim could tell the brunette was looking right through her walls.

_A minute is all I need. I sure hope Shego can run._

Kim smiled again and climbed the staircase slowly, forcing each step to be paced and even. She could feel Dr. Director's gaze practically burning into her back. Once the Director was out of sight, Kim allowed her feet to dash up the rest of the stairs, jumping 3 steps at a time with each stride.

Dr. Director pressed a few buttons on her device and held it close to her face as soon as Kim disappeared.

"Send in back-up, please. It's just as I suspected," Dr. Director ordered firmly.

Shego looked up sharply as Kim burst into her room, her eyes a wild panic. Kim shut the door, locked it, and pulled her desk chair underneath the doorknob for extra measure.

"Dr. Director knows you're here. She's suspicious, and a full team of GJ agents is coming up to search my room in a minute," Kim stammered out urgently. She quickly snatched two jackets from her closet and tossed one to a stunned Shego.

"Wait _what? _You're leading Global Justice to me?" Shego demanded as she jumped to her feet, wincing slightly from her injuries. The blanket that was wrapped around her shoulders dropped like a sack of potatoes to the crimson floor. The blood-stained bandages hung loosely around her body, and her handcuffs clanked together loudly. She looked like a prisoner who just made a brutal prison escape.

"No! And no time to explain! We need to get out of here right _now_. Can you run?" Kim let her words stumble out of her mouth without really thinking about what she was saying. She willed her mind to focus on the situation and start forming a much-needed plan. She grabbed her Kimmunicator off her nightstand and stashed it into her pants pocket. Remembering Shego's uniform, she threw the torn, dirty catsuit at the pale thief, not waiting to see if she caught it.

"I can try. Although, don't blame me when I get blood on your clothes," Shego said as she hopped over to the window, slipping on the jacket she was given. She didn't really get cold, but Kim didn't seem like she could process much right now.

"I don't care about the clothes! We need to go!" Kim exclaimed as she scrambled around her room like a headless chicken being chased by the butcher. She slipped on her shoes without tying the laces and almost tripped over Ron's open textbook.

_Damnit, Ron!_

A loud pounding on the door startled the two girls, and Kim immediately grabbed Shego's hand. The villainess looked down at their joined hands surprisingly and tried to pull away, causing Kim to instinctively tighten her grip.

_Don't leave Shego. Don't leave Shego. Don't leave Shego. Whatever happens, don't you dare leave Shego!_

"Kimberly Possible! Open the door this instant, or I will be forced to break it down!" Dr. Director demanded harshly outside the room. The door shook violently as the Director slammed into it, attempting to break in the room. A clamor of steadily growing voices sounded from downstairs, and Kim fully knew that a full team of GJ agents could break down her door like it was made of paper.

Kim stepped carefully out her shattered window and forcefully tugged Shego to follow her. The villainess took a wobbly step outside only to be jerked back by an unknown source. The catsuit she gripped in her hands got caught on a long shard of glass still attached to the window frame. Shego growled frustratingly as she yanked the tough fabric to no avail.

Kim glanced over her shoulder to see what stopped Shego and noticed the issue. Without a second thought, she punched the stubborn spear of glass, causing a mini hurricane of sharp, freely flying fragments. Her fist was sliced and cut around her fingers, but Kim ignored the stinging pain. Dark blood started to slowly seep out of her hand, coating her palm and making it shine red in the sunlight.

_Wow, I could just kicked that instead with my shoe that's about to fall off. It would've hurt a lot less, too!_

Shego gasped from the force of the suddenly relieving tension, and she leaned dangerously over the edge of the window. Kim held her back as they pressed against the side of the house, standing precariously on the edge. The chilling autumn wind whipped across their faces, almost taunting them to jump. Shimmering black vans glinted in the corner of Kim's olive eyes, and the redhead could see that Dr. Director had called for backup as more officers streamed from the wide doors. The cars blocked the front of her house, preventing any form of escape from the front door, and Kim could spot her parents rushing out to see what the commotion was about.

"Kim! Open the door!" Dr. Director hollered angrily from across the room. The door looked about ready to fall off its hinges as each pounding strike made it creak and groan.

_Like hell I will! _

"Tuck and roll," Kim ordered as she released Shego's hand.

"I don't need you telling me what to do! I know how to jump off buildings you know!" Shego retorted as she yanked her hand back.

Kim didn't respond, and she jumped off the 2-story house, performing a clean shoulder roll as she hit the hard ground. Springing on to her feet with the grace a cat could only dream of, she watched Shego follow without hesitation.

_She's so fearless. I can't even tell if that's good or bad in this situation._

Shego's landing was sloppy and harder than it usually was. Her handcuffs slapped the ground with a loud thunk and bounced back onto Shego's head. She snarled with annoyance rather than pain and lifted her hand to rub the sore spot forming on her forehead. After a split second, the villainess quickly recovered and half-ran half-limped towards a few hidden alleyways.

_Goodbye Mom, Dad, and Tweebs! I'm gonna go follow a wanted criminal now!_

Every stride looked and felt painful, but the pale thief ignored the sirens of pain blaring in her mind. She mapped out a layout of the neighborhoods in her brain, focusing on finding a back-way to her desired destination. Glancing behind her to see if Kim was following, she continued making sharp turns to avoid the main roads and sidewalks. Kim reluctantly ran after her as she shot wary glimpses over her shoulder every five seconds. Her wide eyes darted back and forth nervously, and she sped up to match her pace with Shego's.

_She could barely walk to my bathroom 30 minutes ago! _

"How're you moving so fast with all of those injuries?" Kim asked in awe, her jaw slightly agape. Dried blood formed a thick crust around her cut knuckles, allowing small flakes of red to glitter with the wind. Her strides were long and strong, and with each exhale, she pushed harder against the concrete. This wasn't the fastest she could run, Kim understood that, but she didn't want Shego to exert more energy than she already was.

"A God-given talent and pure skill," Shego smirked as she continued to ignore the waves of pain and agony searing through her leg. "What even happened down there anyway?" She asked, slightly out of breath.

"Dr. Director was interrogating me like some criminal. She was so formal and restricted as if she wasn't telling me something; she even called me _Ms. Possible_! I think she knew somehow that you were staying in my room. I don't know how, but she knew," Kim explained with a deep frown.

"Well, I didn't exactly sneak into your room quietly last night. Someone was bound to find out sooner or later. But yeah, formal Betty equals scary Betty. We're screwed," Shego huffed.

_Betty? I didn't know Shego called Dr. Director by her first name. _

Kim decided to ask her about it later and concentrated on not tripping over all the trash littered on the empty road they were crossing. The teen hero looked up briefly to check on Shego, and she wasn't greeted by a welcoming sight. Shego's chest heaved with strain, and her short breath felt strangled and uneven. The blood creeping around her thigh had already seeped through the thick jeans she lent her, and small drops of the dark liquid trailed the ground with each step. Despite the condition her lithe body was in, Shego's face was steely and determined as her emerald eyes zeroed in on the path in front of her.

"You're leaving a blood trail. Are you sure you're ok?" Kim asked worriedly as they rounded another corner. She had no idea where they were, but Shego seemed like she knew exactly where was going as she pushed on confidently. It confused Kim since she knew Shego didn't live in her neighborhood. They made sure to take routes that were shielded from the public eye, and some of the sketchy alleyways they ducked into felt dangerous even though it was morning.

"Spectacular. I feel better than ever," Shego snapped sardonically. Her voice reeked of annoyance and sarcasm, which meant Shego did indeed feel normal.

_Yeah, right. Are you sure dying from blood-loss wasn't on your to-do list?_

"I think we lost them. Maybe we can stop and sit down for a bit," Kim suggested, staring at the red blossoming on Shego's thigh. They've only been running for five minutes, but the villainess was panting heavily and her steps were getting clumsier by the second.

_Yep her wounds are already open. I really wish Mom could've stitched them up._

"I'm _fine_. So shut the hell up and stop bothering me because I'm already more pissed than ever," Shego snarled angrily, her fists clenched with either rage or pain; Kim couldn't tell.

_We're going to have to stop and rest as soon as we've made some distance between us and Global Justice. Shego's clearly having a hard time no matter what she says._

Kim groaned as her stomach gurgled with rage, grumbling at the fact she didn't eat breakfast. She was so caught up in studying the security footage last night that she crashed in bed without eating dinner either.

_I'm helping a wanted criminal escape from the law. Global Justice is after both me and Shego now. My parents are probably freaking out right now. I have no idea where we're going. And I'm hungry. _

Kim wiped the sweat that was forming around her eyebrows and squinted through the rising sun. It's piercing rays shone vividly through the cover of thin branches, dappling the ground beneath them with stars of pale light. Multi-colored leaves floated lazily from the trees and around the thundering escapees, and Shego growled as a sunset orange leaf landed lightly on her dark head. She shook her head roughly and continued to swerve past the thick tree trunks and metal trashcans, sporadically slipping or stumbling. Kim kept her eyes focused on the swaying length of Shego's midnight hair, trailing closely behind.

_What an eventful way to start off my Saturday._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

With a loud thud, the door slammed down onto the cluttered floor of Kim's bedroom. The door's metal hinges were ripped off the wall and laid in random places.

Dr. Director scanned the messy room as GJ agents flooded through the gap in the wall where the door once stood. Her eyes widened at the glimmering spears of glass that littered Kim's bedroom floor profusely. Her agents moved stiffly around her, snapping pictures of every corner and crevice of the small area.

Noticing the sun reflecting off of something neon green by the broken window, Dr. Director marched over to it curiously. She held up a bloody piece of tough, bright green fabric and inspected it with a raised eyebrow.

Grinning slightly at her discovery, she quickly whipped out her phone and alerted her best agent, Will Du.

After a single, short ring, the young agent answered the phone with his usual pretentious and serious voice.

"Agent Du, I have a lead on Shego," Dr. Director reported, the smug smile not leaving her face.

Will's voice was muffled on the other line, and Dr. Director twirled the torn piece of Shego's catsuit between her fingers.

"Yes, I'm positive. My suspicions have been confirmed undoubtedly," Dr. Director gave a wry smile. "Kim Possible is assisting in the escape of Shego."

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	10. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Kim and Shego are already arguing like a married couple sksksks

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 9_

A man shroud in darkness sat silently at his desk, a dimly lit lamp emanating a faint glow that made his inky eyes twinkle. He faced a hologram of a short, black-haired woman in a lab coat. DNAmy.

"Did you leave the anonymous tip to the police?" DNAmy asked. Her voice sounded static-y and muffled as if she were hiding the fact she was on this call.

"Already done. Global Justice now has another problem to worry about," the man spoke quietly.

"Good, I'm going to need their locations," DNAmy reminded.

"And I'm going to need the information on her genes," the man replied smoothly. His face was engulfed in the shadowy blankets of night, concealing his identity.

"I will get them to you as soon as I can," DNAmy promised as she pulled out a small creature from the inside of her lab coat. It squirmed in her small hands as she cooed softly at its lithe form.

"See that you do. You have your part of the deal, and I have mine," the man replied, his voice calm but threatening.

"I understand. Now, where are Kim and Shego?" DNAmy asked as the man smiled evilly.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim tripped over an empty glass bottle that was littered in a menacing alleyway. Again. Used syringes, cigarette buds, and powdery Ziploc bags were scattered randomly on the cracked concrete, and the teen hero was quite disturbed. The use of drugs was prevalent in the secluded areas Shego was leading them through, and Kim wrinkled her nose from the foul smells.

_This isn't how a typical teenage girl usually spends her Saturday mornings. I feel so special to be the rare exception._

Grimy trash bins were pressed against the chipped brick walls, overflowing with full, black bags and unknown decaying materials. It smelled like a skunk just sprayed everything before immediately dying and rotting with the rest of the junk. Shego had thrown her tattered catsuit into one of the many stuffed bins, making sure to toss it behind a large trash bag to conceal the bright, neon uniform.

Trees offered little to no cover and shade since the scraggly branches were mostly bare from the chilly weather. So, Shego was forced to go through more undesired parts of the neighborhoods to get to their mysterious destination. However, the leaves that were still stubbornly gripping the thin branches dazzled beautifully in the morning sun. Pale light radiated off the sunset-colored flakes, dappling the ground with warm hues. The sky was a light, pastel blue-pink, and the sun's golden tones reflected off the colorful cotton candy-colored clouds.

A gentle breeze swirled lazily through Shego's wavy, raven hair, causing long strands to occasionally blow onto Kim's face. The fleeing girls thundered blindly forward like two lost, confused antelope being hunted by a pack of hungry lions. Very hungry lions.

Kim kept her eyes trained on Shego's back, giving the sporadic glance at her blood-stained leg every few seconds. With each stride, Shego sent dust and small drops of red flying behind her. And unfortunately for Kim, she was behind Shego.

_At this rate, I'll be looking like I just committed a mass murder with Shego._

As they rounded another alley that reeked of the lingering use of drugs, Kim groaned audibly.

"You'd think they'd actually try to cover up the evidence," Kim commented as she ran past a large pile of empty plastic bags. Her face was contorted with disgust, and she clamped a hand over her nose and mouth to mask the smell. A bitter, iron-y scent washed through her senses, and Kim realized she put her bloody, injured hand on her face.

"Did you seriously think the world was all cupcakes and rainbows, _Cupcake? _Because, news flash: it's not," Shego rolled her eyes distastefully. Her breathing sounded labored as if she was just punched in the stomach a dozen times. Her pace had slowed significantly, and Kim had to back up to an even jog to match.

_Yeah, we definitely need to stop soon to rest before she passes out. There's no way in hell I'm dragging her body to wherever we're going._

"I know that. I was just…surprised to see so much illegal activity in my neighborhood. I thought it was a relatively clean area," Kim defended herself as they crossed an empty parking lot behind an abandoned gas station.

"Drugs are ubiquitous. It doesn't matter how "clean" a neighborhood is," Shego huffed as she made air quotations with her fingers.

"I guess. Have you ever tried that sort of thing?" Kim asked curiously with a slightly furrowed brow.

"Drugs? Hell no. That shit would ruin my undeniably sexy body," Shego scoffed as if the very idea of her using drugs offended her. And it probably did.

_She's right. I can't deny it- Wait, what?_

Shego coughed violently as she slowed down to a moderate walking pace, her chest heaving heavily. Kim scanned the remote area around them as she matched Shego's speed. They were behind an abandoned multi-story building that looked to be falling apart from time and erosion. It's towering frame cast long shadows over the two girls, engulfing them in a cool shade. The painted outer brick walls were peeling like long hangnails, and the dark, eerie windows utilized no glass. Large parts of the base had already crumbled to dust, and the support beams looked ready to snap like toothpicks. It was a perfect spot to sit and rest, maybe even relax.

_I really hope Global Justice is still scrambling around my house and not trying to follow us. We took random, secluded pathways that would be too narrow for the GJ vans anyway._

"Shego, let's sit and rest for a minute or two," Kim suggested as she walked next to Shego.

"No," Shego replied tersely. Her heavy steps made it look like she was pulling a bag of rocks behind her, and the dangling handcuffs, still chained to her left wrist, almost seemed like they were dragging the villainess to the ground.

"We've covered a lot of ground. It won't hurt to catch our breaths and fix your bandages while we're ahead," Kim reasoned as she deliberately slowed down even more. Shego matched her turtle-like pace almost gratefully.

"No. I'm not a child, I don't need to sit down," Shego argued, the annoyance in her voice as clear as the blood trail she was leaving.

"I never said you were. But you're literally leaving a trail of breadcrumbs, or in this case, blood, for Global Justice to follow," Kim pointed out vexedly.

_This argument is pointless. Shego's pride is starting to really get on my nerves not gonna lie. _

"We might as well be holding up a sign that says "_Follow the blood trail Shego's leaving! It'll lead you straight to us!" _Kim continued, knowing Shego's temper was probably boiling.

"Oh my god. Fine. I'll fix the fucking bandages ok?!" Shego snarled as she collapsed on the concrete, her forehead dripping with sweat. Pressing her back against the hard wall, she scooted her injured leg closer to inspect the open wound.

_Finally!_

Kim plopped down a few feet away with her legs crisscrossed, making sure to keep a safe distance between her and the fuming villainess. She brought her slashed knuckles up to her olive eyes, and she rubbed the deep cuts tentatively. The sharp sting made her wince, and fresh blood started oozing through her fingers.

_I need to get this washed before it gets infected._

Shego had busied herself by rewrapping her leg with the soaked bandages, tying them tightly around her thigh to stop the bleeding. Her skilled hands worked swiftly with the pieces of fabric, and she had finished within a minute. Despite her mind wanting to get up and keep moving, her entire body ached as if she had just finished an intense sparring session after leg day. She wiped her glistening forehead with the sleeve of the loose jacket Kim had lent her. Closing her emerald eyes tiredly, Shego groaned as a wave of searing pain made her leg spasm slightly.

Kim glanced nervously in all directions as she kept watch, letting Shego rest for a few more minutes.

_I really hope they think that the blood trail was just some kid eating a leaky PB&J sandwich. Just lots and lots of leaky strawberry jelly._

"Shego?" Kim asked quietly, seeing that the pale thief's eyes were closed.

_We're running from GJ, and she's taking a nap? _

"What?" Shego snapped, keeping her eyes shut tightly.

_Nope, nevermind. _

"Where are we even going?" Kim inquired with just a hint of suspicion in her voice. She wanted to ask earlier, but the rush of adrenaline distracted her from that important piece of information.

"My apartment," Shego answered as she opened her eyes and played with her handcuffs. She seemed to do that whenever she was thinking about something.

"You have an apartment?" Kim asked with a small frown.

_It's so hard to picture this world-class thief as having something as mundane as living in an apartment complex with ordinary people. It's…weird._

"Where did you think I lived? Under a bridge with the evil trolls, plotting to steal everyone's left sock?" Shego rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

"I thought you lived with Drakken, that's all," Kim huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I can barely stand the backstabbing idiot during my work shift. If I had to spend 24 hours with him, I'd either kill him or myself from insanity. Whichever opportunity pops up first," Shego scoffed with scorn for the blue scientist. Just thinking about Drakken's endless ranting instigated a pounding migraine, and Shego rubbed her temples with two fingers to soothe the headache.

"Why did you keep working for him if you hate him so much?" Kim questioned curiously.

"It's simple. I lounge around and do next to nothing most days. On the days I have to actually do shit, I just steal, demolish stuff, or fight you. In return, he sends a fat paycheck to my account every week. It was a good deal," Shego explained nonchalantly.

"I can't believe you get paid to commit crimes," Kim said with a half-laugh.

"Better start believing it Princess," Shego smirked as she heaved to her feet unsteadily. Leaning heavily against the wall to regain her balance, she tested her injured leg. She tapped the ground with her foot tentatively as if she were checking if the bathwater was hot before taking a careful step forward.

_Did Shego and I just have a civilized conversation? Without wanting to pull each other's hair out? Today has been a really weird day, and it's barely 8:30._

"Enough chit-chat. We need to get going," Shego ordered as she walked on ahead, attempting to conceal the obvious limp.

Kim jumped up and obediently followed the pale thief, falling into step beside her rather than trailing behind.

"How much farther is it?" Kim asked as they avoided a busy intersection. They pushed through a small cluster of oak trees in an empty park that was overgrown with staggering weeds.

"A few more miles," Shego shrugged as she waded through the thick foliage, resisting the temptation to just burn the entire park to ashes.

"Miles? You want us to run multiple consecutive miles?!" Kim practically shrieked.

_We've barely traveled a little over a mile, and Shego almost passed out. And yet she thinks she can run 10 miles at a time like it's a leisurely stroll in the park?_

"We're not running the rest of the way there, doy!" Shego sighed as if Kim was asking such obvious questions.

"Then, how-" Kim began to ask.

"Just stuff a sock in it, I have a massive headache. You'll see when we get there, ok?" Shego groaned irritatingly.

"Ok, fine," Kin agreed with a sigh of her own, knowing it was pointless to argue with Shego when she was annoyed. Which seemed like always.

The two girls kept up their running for a few more minutes until Shego suddenly slowed. They reached a long, horizontal bush that had sharp branches poking out from the dark cover of leaves, and the villainess ducked behind it. Kim mimicked her actions and peered curiously over the hedge. A sizable distance away sat a tremendous building with multiple stories and uneven platforms. Besides the crazy architectural design, it's exterior was simple and looked quite ordinary. Two people in dark uniforms were propped up against the wide entrance doors, probably guarding it.

"Is that-" Kim peeled her eyes away from the building as she turned to look at Shego.

"Drakken's secret evil lair? Yup," Shego confirmed.

"Wait, did you just lead me into-" Kim began to ask with narrowed eyes.

"A trap? Sure, Princess. I just slashed my body open to mortally injure myself just to lure you to Drakken's "secret" hideout," Shego scoffed sarcastically.

"How're you-" Kim started but was interrupted again.

"Guessing what you're going to say before you say it? Easy, you're so predictable, Kimmie. It's almost funny," Shego smirked with her head tilted slightly up.

"Whatever Shego. What are we even doing here? I thought we were trying to get away from the villains, not walk right through their front doors?" Kim inquired as she continued to stare at the lair.

"To give Drakken a welcoming basket filled with roses and muffins, of course. Do you think he'd prefer _blueberry delight_ or _lemon zing_?" Shego's voice reeked with sarcasm and disdain.

"You're hilarious," Kim muttered flatly.

"It's one of my many amazing qualities," Shego boasted as she flashed a bright, mocking smile.

"I can count those qualities with one finger," Kim said smugly, ignoring Shego's outraged squawk. "But seriously, why are we here?" Kim asked as she watched the guards chat tiredly with each other.

"As I said, we're not running the rest of the way to my apartment. We'll be flying," Shego informed as she rubbed her hands together excitedly, letting small sparks of plasma playfully dance around her fingertips.

"You're going to steal a hovercraft from the guy trying to kill you?" Kim asked just to make sure she heard the villainess right.

"I believe I already made that clear, Pumpkin," Shego rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time today.

"I'm hungry and sleep-deprived. My mind is a bit slower than usual," Kim protested.

"Same here, yet I can still think and operate like a functional human being," Shego said smugly.

Kim ignored the comment and started walking towards the lair, only to be pulled roughly to the ground by a hard yank of her arm. She yelped from surprise but shut her mouth when a pair of emerald eyes glittered dangerously at her.

"Are you _insane_?" Shego growled disbelievingly as she jerked Kim behind the cover of the bush.

"What?" Kim asked, wide-eyed.

_What did I do now?_

"These idiots want to capture, and potentially kill, you too! I heard them planning before I was attacked. You can't just go waltzing onto their turf like you own the place," Shego retorted.

_Wait, what?!_

Kim blinked slowly as her mind fumbled to process that information. Her stare was blank until a wave of clarity washed through her olive eyes, and she focused on Shego again.

"The villains are after me too, and you didn't think about telling me until now?!" Kim asked incredulously, her voice close to a shriek.

"It wasn't important until now, and it slipped my mind. So drop it," Shego shrugged and studied her chipped nails.

"Yes, it was! I would've liked to know if some crazy people are hunting me down to slaughter me!" Kim argued with a sharp gleam in her eyes.

_Of course, why am I so surprised? Honestly, why would Shego try and help me after what I did to her?_

"Knowing that wouldn't have changed any of your previous actions and would've made your decisions more impulsive than they already are right now. Just fucking drop it," Shego barked with a low growl.

_Huh. Usually, I'm the level-headed one. What is happening?_

Kim grunted in response and sat down roughly, letting Shego study the lair with trained eyes. The guards posted against the entrance looked bored as they slumped over lazily, fighting to keep the drowsiness from overwhelming their senses. Her target was the stash of hovercrafts she knew were concealed in a hidden garage on the ground level. She'd just have to take out two dull henchmen to get around the building. Two dull henchmen armed with guns. Shivering slightly from the memory of gunfire, Shego felt relieved she could melt bullets before they pierced through her pale skin.

Shego fiddled with her handcuffs as she thought up a plan for their mission. She hated to admit it, but she was going to need Kim's help.

"I know you haven't been doing your hero shit lately, and your body's probably got the strength of a 3-year old throwing a tantrum, but can you handle a few guards? I need a minute to take out the tracking device in the hovercraft before we leave," Shego explained her plan.

"Is this your own impossible way of asking for my help?" Kim asked flatly.

_Does Shego seriously trust me enough to watch her back?_

Almost as if she read her mind, Shego narrowed her brilliant green eyes, "No, I don't trust you, if that's what you're thinking. If I did, I would've asked you to have the Nerdlinger disable the tracker for me. But, I can't fight the goons and work on the hovercraft at the same time. So you're fighting whether you like it or not," Shego said brusquely with her hand planted firmly on the curve of her hip.

"Fair enough. What do you want me to do?" Kim questioned as she stood up, brushing loose leaves and blades of grass off her pants. Her clothes smelled like a freshly trimmed lawn, and the scent of damp grass pierced her nose.

"Kick anyone's ass if they spot me. Make sure to knock them out," Shego replied as she crept carefully around the hedge, making sure to downplay her limp.

"Sounds easy enough," Kim concluded as she followed Shego, her own steps silent and careful.

"That's what I thought too," Shego mumbled roughly.

"It'll be fine. It's no big," Kim said with a slight shrug.

_I used to take out Drakken's henchmen as a hobby each time I infiltrated his secret lairs. It only takes a punch or a hurtful comment to reduce them to tears._

"You'd be surprised, Princess," Shego commented as she gestured for Kim to take out the two guards near the entrance.

"Oh, and watch out for the guns," Shego warned with a wide mocking grin.

_Guns? Since when did Drakken get guns?_

The villainess sprinted across the field and around the lair, ignoring the shocked shouts from the henchmen.

_At least their shift will get interesting now._

Kim trailed after Shego, only to stop when she saw the two guards pound after her. One henchman lifted a small device to his mouth to most likely call for backup, but Kim sent the phone flying with a swift roundhouse kick. Seeing him reach for his gun, the redhead locked an uppercut to his jaw with her good hand and kneed him in the groin sharply. The guard collapsed onto his side as Kim struck her fist to his temple, successfully knocking him out.

The second guard was frantically fumbling for the gun strapped across his back, watching Shego as she hared away around a corner. Her limp slowed her down greatly, and the liability gave the henchman enough time to catch up to the villainess. Shego whipped around briskly as she prepared her aching body to fight, letting her hands engulf with green flames. The bandages around her left wrist quickly caught fire, and she ripped them off angrily. She braced herself for the impact when Kim suddenly tackled the guard from behind.

The two scuffled on the ground while Shego sent a blossoming ball of green, glowing plasma at the long garage doors, burning the exterior like it was butter. She hopped into the nearest hovercraft and started hot wiring the router, playing with the wires until she disabled the tracker. Two more henchmen had appeared when they heard the blast and explosion, fixing their guns on Shego.

Kim had quickly knocked them away but earned a staggering swat of a gun to her ribs in return. With a sharp gasp, she clutched her side with one arm, while the other blocked a side punch from a henchman. She was caught off guard when a heavy elbow struck across her chest, knocking the wind out of her and making her stumble backward.

_Yep, I'm definitely out of shape. _

The second guard shoved Kim to the ground roughly with his armored shoulder, and he towered over the petite hero. She attempted to kick his legs out from underneath him, but he jumped and dodged with a surprising amount of speed. He planted his feet firmly into the dirt and advanced towards the fallen teen.

_Ok fine, so Shego was right, these goons are harder to take out than before. Did they get stronger, or am I just weaker?_

Kim feigned a painful injury that greatly restricted her from getting up, and even let out a distressed whimper for added effect. Giving the most pitiful defeated pout, she pretended to gasp in pain and agony. It wasn't too hard since her body felt like a human punching bag that just got beaten senseless by professional boxers. Sensing that both henchmen let their guards down briefly, Kim took the opportunity to kick up onto her feet like a streak of red lightning. With a powerful flying kick and a flurry of punches, she knocked out the pesty henchmen in a whirlwind of fists and feet. Distant, firm shouting sounded from around the lair, and Kim could see a pack of freshly armed henchmen cresting the hill.

_Oh shit!_

"Shego! Are you almost done?" Kim asked, her voice laced with panic. Her throat felt like sandpaper, and her head spun from the hard blows to her chest.

"No, why?" Shego asked distractedly as her hands flew across the controls and wires. She used tiny sparks of plasma to melt the ends of a few cords, taking extra care into not setting the entire ship ablaze.

"Because there's like 20 more armed henchmen coming up in a few seconds!" Kim yelled as she backed towards the hovercraft, assuming a defensive stance.

"Oh shit! Crap ok, I'll work on it as we go. Get your sorry ass in here now!" Shego demanded as she closed the hatch and jumped into the pilot's seat, not bothering to buckle up. She furiously typed a series of coordinates into the automated map and flipped a few switches.

Kim complied and flung herself into the ship, completely missing the passenger seat and hitting the metal floor with a loud thud. With a groan, she tumbled onto the seat next to Shego and strapped in, gripping the sides of her comfortable chair tightly until her cut knuckles turned white. The interior of the hovercraft was quite small and compact, as it'd only fit around 4 people max. The clamor of thundering feet and hectic commands grew louder by the second, and Kim could see the heads of several henchmen peeking above the hill.

After a frustrated growl from Shego, the ship suddenly roared with life. She pushed a button and pulled up sharply with the yoke, causing the hovercraft to creak and lift into the air. They sped out of the garage and ascended higher into the air.

Switching on autopilot, Shego leaned precariously over the edge and sent a massive wave of green plasma at the group of stunned henchmen. It sailed through the thickening air like a radioactive asteroid, and the center of the mass was almost a ghostly white from the intense heat. The green flames glowed brighter than the sun until they exploded onto the ground in a flurry of brilliant fireworks. When the initial explosion receded, the lingering ribbons of light engulfed the henchmen briefly, setting the grass and their clothes ablaze. As the hovercraft sailed further away from the lair, Kim could hear their distant screams fading with the whipping wind.

"Did you have to do that?" Kim asked exasperatedly. Her ribs throbbed with each breath, and her knuckles were split open and bleeding. Small drops of blood splattered against her dirty clothes, and they billowed in the chilly draft. The wind swirled restlessly through her wild, red hair, making thick strands stream against her face, much to her annoyance.

"Absolutely," Shego smirked as she went back to manually flying the hovercraft. Her left wrist had lost its wrapped bandages, and the metal handcuffs were digging into her cut wrist.

Kim only stared blankly directly at Shego's eyes and said nothing.

"Don't look at me like that Kimmie. I can control the heat of my plasma; that fire was enough to only give them second-degree burns max," Shego insisted with another eye roll.

Kim continued to look at Shego knowingly, her expression almost disbelieving.

"Ok fine, so maybe they got third-degree burns if they were dumb enough to get close. But they probably all survived," Shego shrugged.

"Probably?" Kim questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Probably," Shego confirmed with a snicker and a nefarious glint in her eyes.

Kim sighed deeply and shook her head with a hint of amusement. Given the situation, Shego's humor almost made her feel better. Almost. She didn't reply but instead gazed at the glowing horizon they were flying towards. Drakken's lair was quickly disappearing from view, only becoming a green speck in the corner of Kim's olive eyes.

_Next stop: Shego's apartment_

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	11. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Shego's such a tease heh

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 10_

The hovercraft soared through the low-lying clouds, its white wispy tufts making their flight damp and foggy. Spaces and holes where the clouds parted allowed the fully risen sun to shine through the fragrance of the atmosphere. A chilly autumn breeze carried fine drops of dew, each one a promise of the rain to come. The air was cool and crisp, like a refreshing drink of sparkling water after hours in a desert. Newly icy mist swirled restlessly through the girls in the hovercraft, and Kim was glad she had a jacket on. The wind danced through her wild, crimson mane, tousling it into messy curls.

Shego was lazily draped against the pilot's seat, her legs hanging over the armrest. Her body was twisted so that her chest faced the endless sky, but her head was facing the direction they were flying in. One of her arms rested gently on the yoke, while the other, still chained with handcuffs, played with the stations on the radio. She surfed the stations tiredly until she found a song she liked, amplifying the volume over the roaring of the wind. Her relaxed and unconcerned posture made Kim's stomach twist into tight knots. She'd love to remind the villainess that they were hundreds of feet in the air.

Kim sat stiffly in the passenger seat, trying not to look down at the world as it blurred beneath them. The whirlwind of smudged colors flashed before her curious olive eyes, and her brain tried to process the distinct landscapes before they disappeared a half-second later.

Her stomach dropped when she saw Shego mess with the yoke as if it were a cat toy, passing it between her hands playfully. Kim glanced over the edge to see that they were flying at around 40 miles an hour at a cruising height at roughly 200 feet.

It wasn't the fact that they were flying an aircraft with no roof 200 feet above the ground that worried Kim. It was the fact that Shego was the one flying it.

Kim stiffened when the hovercraft hit mild turbulence, letting the random objects littering the hovercraft tumble together. Shego smirked at the teen hero's discomfort, and Kim suspected she was flying the ship forcefully on purpose. They hit another rough patch and the aircraft jerked violently, causing Kim to knock against the side of the hovercraft. Her bruised ribs were struck with metal as she was slammed into the wall, her seatbelt straining to keep her still.

"Why did you _do _that?!" Kim snapped as she winced from the sharp pain in her chest. She rubbed her side tenderly as the ship's flying immediately smoothed.

"Do what?" Shego asked innocently, her eyes blinking repeatedly as if she had no idea what Kim was talking about. Kim, however, stared right through her feigned wall of innocence when she saw the evil glint in the villainess's emerald eyes.

"Knock the hovercraft around on purpose. My ribs are killing me," Kim growled lowly as she found it hard to breathe at their high altitude.

"Aww, poor Kimmie. I would never do such a thing," Shego said with a mocking pout. She now had both hands grasping the yoke, but she still looked directly at Kim instead of the sky ahead.

"Bullshit," Kim said flatly with a dead expression.

"Oh my! I didn't know such disgraceful profanities could come out of the perfect Princess. What would your parents say?" Shego gasped and clamped a hand over her mouth.

_At least Shego's having fun teasing me. _

"I can't believe how months of depression made me forget how annoying you are," Kim sighed as she leaned back in her seat.

Another sudden jerk shook the hovercraft violently, making Kim practically fall out of her seat and onto the metal floor. Shego let out a low snicker as she twisted her head to look down on Kim. Literally.

"Annoying you say? Do care to enlighten me, Pumpkin," Shego said with feigned surprise as she placed a hand on her chest.

Kim said nothing to respond to that but continued to glare heatedly at Shego.

"Are you even certified to fly this thing?" Kim asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Ha! Of course not. Honestly, I thought you knew me better than that. I'm a self-taught prodigy in everything I do," Shego stated, her ego shining through the foggy clouds like the sun after a storm.

Kim clutched the sides of her cushioned seat until her cut knuckles turned a ghostly white, contrasting the gleam of the crust of dark dried blood forming around her fingers. Her cracked lips were pursed in a tight horizontal line, and a small bead of sweat froze against the cold wind.

"Why are you so tense?" Shego asked exasperatedly as she propped her feet up against the dashboard. She went back to toying with the yoke and flipping through the stations aimlessly. Her long, midnight hair flowed behind her like a cape, the soft wind rippling through her dark streams.

"Why are you so relaxed?" Kim retorted, her palms clammy from how hard she was holding her seatbelt.

"Because I'm extremely confident in my sensational flying skills," Shego smirked proudly.

"Sensational my ass," Kim muttered with a dead expression.

Shego quirked an eyebrow, her mouth curling up in a twisted smile as she thought of something.

Grasping the yoke and joystick tightly, she sent the hovercraft in a swift loop. Random items that cluttered the floor tumbled out into the sky as the ship flipped upside down for a very brief second. Kim yelped from the sudden movement, snatching her Kimmunicator before it fell out and into oblivion. She held on to her seat and seatbelt for dear life as blood rushed to her head. The world flipped over momentarily, and the petite redhead felt her life flash before her stunned eyes.

Shego roared with laughter as soon as the aircraft was upright and flying smoothly again.

"Was that _sensational_ enough for you, Kimmie?" Shego sniggered with a wheeze.

Tears started forming in her eyes as she continued to howl with mirth, gazing amusedly at Kim's pale face. The teen hero looked like she'd just seen a pack of soul-hungry ghosts. Her crimson hair was sticking up in places and draped over her face, and her shirt was ruffled upwards, showing the bottom of her bra peeking out.

_What. The. Fu-_

Kim snapped out of her frozen state of mind to see Shego doubling over with laughter. She was clutching her stomach and leaning heavily on the control panel, making mocking gestures at Kim while laughing.

"Don't _ever_ do that again!" Kim barked as she shot a harsh glare at Shego, who only laughed harder in response.

Stashing her Kimmunicator back into her pants pocket, she crossed her arms over her chest with an irked expression. She looked over to see Shego grinning wickedly at her, not trying to stifle the occasional chortle.

_I'll admit, it's nice to see Shego laughing. Even if that laughter is mostly mockery directed at me._

Sensing Shego's amusement, Kim softened her facial features and felt a small tug at the edges of her lips. Shego only brightened when seeing Kim wasn't mad at her little trick

_Ok, so she's obviously making fun of me. But hey, it's not every day you see Shego laughing and smiling._

"What's this strange sound I'm hearing? Is it actually _laughter_? I didn't know you could make those noises!" Kim gasped playfully, her eyes wide with shock.

"Weird right? The world really has turned upside down," Shego snorted before realizing the irony of that statement.

The two girls stared at each other before bursting into another round of laughter, Kim joining in this time. And for a very brief moment, the teen hero forgot about the guilt, stress, and anxiety as she sat in the hovercraft, laughing with Shego of all people. She forgot about the tower, the villains, Global Justice, her parents, everything. Her worries washed away like the ashes left by a fire being swept away by an inviting rain. It felt…good.

However, that moment was short-lived as a loud beeping sounded from Kim's pants pocket. Immediately regaining her posture and clearing her voice, she pulled her Kimmunicator out and checked the caller ID.

_Ron. Oh god._

With a heavy sigh, Kim reluctantly put on a cheery expression and answered the phone.

"Hey, Ron!" Kim greeted. Hearing the blond boy's name, Shego perked up to hear the conversation over the whipping wind. Kim held an index finger to her mouth to signal for Shego to be quiet, who gruffly nodded in response.

"Hey KP! How're you feeling after er- yesterday?" Ron asked hesitantly.

"Much better, thanks Ron," Kim said as Shego continued to eavesdrop on one side of the conversation. She had turned down the music on the radio and was focusing intently on the sky ahead.

"That's great! Mon and I were really worried about you last night. Wanna go to the mall with us later today?" Ron asked hopefully.

"I can't today, sorry," Kim apologized.

"Why not? Ever since you took a break from hero work, you've always been free on weekends," Ron persisted.

"I'm really busy today with uhm-" Kim glanced at Shego who narrowed her eyes suspiciously, daring Kim to turn her in. "-girl things," Kim finished lamely.

_Girl things? Seriously Kim? That's the best you can come up with?_

Shego snorted as she looked at Kim with an amused raised eyebrow, forcing herself to not make a sarcastic remark. Kim only shrugged worriedly in return, her face screaming "I have no idea what I'm doing!"

"Oh. I gotcha. Say, what're you doing right now? It's super loud on your side of the call," Ron inquired.

"I'm uh- going on a run! It's super windy over here right now," Kim lied as she pursed her lips nervously.

"Kim, I live in the same neighborhood as you. Rufus can barely feel the breeze," Ron reminded her with a frown on his end.

"Crazy right? It must be from how fast I'm running. Well, I- oof!" Kim grunted as she lurched forward, her chest slamming into the dashboard. Shego had landed the hovercraft on the ground abruptly, purposely making their landing rough and sudden. The villainess snickered silently as Kim fixed her with a piercing glare before rubbing her sore chest, smearing blood all over her jacket.

"KP, what happened? Are you alright?" Ron asked worriedly.

"I'm fine Ron! I- er uhm- I just tripped over a rock. A very annoying rock," Kim said vexedly as she stared directly at Shego.

"That's no fun. Anyways-" Ron started.

"Well, I gotta go now! I'll catch you later, bye!" Kim stammered out quickly as she clenched her sweaty fists.

"But-" Ron began to protest, but Kim had already hung up.

The teen hero slumped in her seat tiredly, and she gazed at the device's screen for a moment longer before putting it back in her pocket. Shego was busy messing with the wires and console in the hatch, so Kim took a second to scan the new surroundings.

Shego had landed the hovercraft in a private parking garage that was secluded from a large building about a block away. Kim guessed that the building was her apartment complex. The garage was small and compact with an open roof and a single door off to the side. Due to the cramped space, the aircraft was almost being squeezed by the concrete walls and Kim had a hard time jumping out.

Leaning against the ship's cool metal hull, Kim watched Shego pull out a microscopic chip that looked like it could pass for a chunk of chocolate. Her emerald eyes sparkled as she inspected the chip closely. After confirming it was the tracker, she let green plasma engulf her hand and the chip. As the burning flames danced around the tiny piece of technology, Shego gave a small satisfied nod. In less than a second, the tracker was reduced to a smoking pinch of ashes, floating away aimlessly with the wind.

"How'd you know that was the tracking device?" Kim inquired as Shego closed the hatch. The villainess walked past Kim, her limp decreasing significantly from the rest they got on their short flight.

"Drakken has a terrible memory. He labeled the microchip as "tracker," Shego smirked haughtily. She quickly locked her hovercraft with a set of keys and led the redhead to the door.

"Ladies first," Shego said with a mocking smile as she opened the door and held it wide open for Kim.

"Doesn't that logic apply to you as well?" Kim remarked, standing firmly in place.

"Just get your ass out of my garage," Shego said flatly, pushing Kim roughly out the door.

Kim squawked from the rough shove but let her eyes drift around as Shego locked the door behind them. Thick foliage and large trees surrounded the small garage, concealing it further if someone were to stumble randomly into the secluded area. The sun shone beautifully through the sunset-colored trees, light coruscating from the dappled leaves.

"So, girl things huh? What sort of "things" are you busy with?" Shego snickered as she led Kim through a narrow path. They took extra care in avoiding the main roads and sidewalks, using alleyways and backroads instead.

"Ron bought it, so that's all that matters. I already feel bad about not telling him about all of _this_," Kim said as she gestured between herself and Shego.

"Still though, that was seriously the best you could do?" Shego asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"I get it, I'm a terrible liar!" Kim sighed as she shook her head defeatedly.

"Aww don't worry Pumpkin. You're terrible at other things too!" Shego grinned nefariously.

"Like what?" Kim asked with a tired eye roll.

"I'd start, but I'm going to need a lot more fingers to list them off," Shego said smugly, the evil glint not leaving her sparkling emerald eyes. Kim scoffed but didn't reply.

_Of course, Shego finds unlimited joy in teasing and making fun of me._

The apartment complex towered over them as they neared the entrance, casting long shadows over the girls. The 6-story building had plain gray and white walls, with roomy balconies that jutted out of the sides next to wide, crystal windows. Once they got to the main doors, however, Shego hastily swerved around to the side.

"Do the tenants and owner know you live here?" Kim asked curiously as Shego whipped out another set of keys and unlocked the backdoor.

_Where is she keeping those keys? She's borrowing my clothes…Oh wait, nevermind, I don't want to know._

"Yep," Shego confirmed as she stepped into the building. She led Kim up a flight of white stairs to the top floor.

"And they don't turn you in?" Kim inquired disbelievingly.

"Nope," Shego said as they climbed six flights of stairs. Her limp became more evident by the time they got to the 4th flight, and she started leaning heavily on the railing by the 5th.

"Why?" Kim pressed as she trailed behind Shego, making sure she didn't pass out from blood loss.

"Because they know if they do, I'll hunt them down and make their life a living hell," Shego snapped as they finally reached the 6th floor.

The villainess limped down the carpeted hall stubbornly and stopped in front of a black door. On the wall next to it, laid a gold plaque engraved with the numbers "_666"_ on it.

Shego's apartment number was _666_. Either Shego found it utterly ironic and picked the room, or the landlord had a very cruel sense of humor.

_I'm not going to even bother asking about that one._

Shego unlocked the door and swung it open to reveal her living space. Kim was immediately greeted with a wave of dew-kissed lavender as she stepped into the apartment. The fragrant aroma reminded her of Shego's distinct scent. She closed the door behind her and spent a few seconds standing at the entrance, letting her eyes wander around curiously.

Shego's apartment looked simple and clean, but still ornate and opulent. She had little furniture, and the empty space made the room seem more spacious than it actually was. Few paintings decorated the plain, pastel green walls, and Kim figured they were probably stolen. A giant flatscreen TV hung on the far side of the living room, straight ahead to where she was standing. A long, rectangular black couch was placed in front of the TV, and a thin green and black rug was spread across the shiny hardwood floor. Kim could see a hallway with a door off to the far right and figured it probably led to Shego's bedroom.

Off to the right side was a 2-panel sliding door made out of icy glass, leading to a deck with a lounge chair and table. To the left side was the kitchen and small, black dining table sporting two dark chairs. Shego's countertops shimmered as if they'd been cleaned recently, and Kim could almost see her reflection on the floor. Her apartment was palatial.

_Shego's a hardcore neat freak. I guess I really don't know anything about her._

"Stop gawking and take off your shoes. Oh, and don't touch anything," Shego ordered as she waltzed into the living room and rummaged through a cabinet.

Kim complied and slipped off her dirty shoes, shifting from one foot to the other awkwardly as she stayed near the entrance. She fumbled with the edges of her jacket as the silence was getting uncomfortably hot.

_I have no idea what I'm doing. I feel so out of place oh god._

Shego turned around and noticed Kim's fidgeting. With an exasperated sigh, she gestured to the couch with her handcuffed hand.

"Pumpkin, you can come in and sit. I don't bite," Shego paused. "-that hard," she finished with an evil smirk as she continued to dig through her belongings.

_Am I allowed to touch the couch? She said not to touch anything. Does the couch count as "everything?"_

Kim reluctantly shuffled to the pale thief's couch and sat down stiffly, wincing slightly as the armrest hit her bruised ribs. She was already feeling self-conscious about getting Shego's squeaky clean apartment dirty. An alarming beep pierced through the awkward tension, and Kim pulled out her Kimmunicator to check the caller ID.

_Ron. I can't answer him! He'll suspect something's up and he knows I'm a terrible liar!_

As the persistent noise echoed through the room, Shego whipped her head around.

"That thing's giving me a headache. Aren't you going to answer it?" Shego growled with annoyance.

"It's Ron. I'm not talking to him right now," Kim informed with a deep frown. Once the beeping subsided, she fiddled with the device nervously, tossing it gently from one hand to the other.

Shego plopped down on the far end of the couch and swung her legs over the armrest. She peeled off the soaked blood-stained bandages and started cleaning her wounds with the medical supplies she had grabbed from her cabinets. As the villainess started rewrapping her limbs with fresh bandages, Kim spotted the dangling handcuffs and remembered something.

Pressing a few buttons on her Kimmunicator, she waited patiently as it dialed twice. Shego had paused in treating her injuries and narrowed her eyes at the phone. After a moment, Wade appeared on the screen and grinned when he saw Kim.

"Hey, Kim, glad to see you're alright. Where are you right now?" Wade asked curiously as he attempted to peer around the redhead.

"Hey Wade, uh I'm at-" Kim hesitated and looked at Shego questioningly. The villainess shrugged to confirm it was ok to reveal their location. "Shego's apartment," Kim finished.

"I'm assuming no one knows where you are then?" Wade inquired.

"No one except you now," Kim gave a wry smile.

"You'll have a lot of explaining to do to everyone eventually," Wade reminded her.

"I know Wade, I'm still trying to process everything myself," Kim said with a deep sigh as she dreaded over telling Ron, Monique, and her parents everything.

"Good luck with that. Anyways, what can I do for you?" Wade asked as his hands hovered over his keyboard, ready to start typing at Kim's request.

"Did you ever find out how to unlock those handcuffs on Shego? I think it's about time we got them off," Kim said as she scooted closer to Shego and let Wade get a good look at the metal rings.

"I made a digital 3D scale model from the scan you sent me earlier. I think I know how to unlock them. Either you or Shego is going to need to manually follow my directions though," Wade explained as he began typing furiously at his computer.

"I can do it Nerdlinger. What do I need?" Shego said in a deadpan, tired voice.

"Do you have a lock pick?" Wade asked as he studied his computer screen intently, looking at the 3D model.

"Only about 100 of them. I'm a world-class thief, doy," Shego rolled her emerald eyes as she got up and strolled into her bedroom. A few seconds later, she came back out and held several different types of lock picks.

Kim continued to hold the Kimmunicator up so Wade could give very detailed instructions on how to unlock the cuffs. After about 15 minutes of struggling, 27 frustrated growls from Shego, and 31 elaborate steps from Wade, the handcuffs unlocked with a loud click.

Shego immediately tore them off and threw them on her forest green coffee table. Rubbing her left wrist, she continued to stare blankly at Wade.

"Thanks, Wade! You're the best," Kim thanked her friend so Shego didn't have to.

"Like you always say Kim, it's no big. By the way, what happened with Global Justice earlier?" Wade inquired with a frown.

"Dr. Director somehow knew about Shego. She interrogated me while Shego hid in my room. GJ tried to search my entire house, so Shego and I jumped out the window and escaped. We took a detour on the way to the apartment, and here we are," Kim explained the story vaguely.

"Wow, what a Saturday. Anyways, you should know that Global Justice is tracking you down too, Kim. They already called me twice asking for your location," Wade informed.

"And did you give it to them?" Shego asked suspiciously, her voice close to a low growl.

"No, I didn't Shego. I figured Kim wouldn't be too happy if I did," Wade said with a small smile.

"Damn straight I wouldn't. Also, a little piece of info that slipped Shego's mind earlier, but the villains want the both of us. They're hunting us down, Wade," Kim growled with a shake of her head.

"I'll keep an eye out for anything suspicious," Wade promised.

"Please and thank you. Alright, I'll talk to you later," Kim said.

"Keep me posted. Good luck Kim," Wade replied with another swift glance at Shego.

The two hung up, and Kim leaned back on the couch tiredly. She brought her slashed fists to her face and inspected the deep cuts laced with dried blood and dirt. With an intense emerald gaze, Shego studied her closely before tossing some medical supplies at her, who raised an eyebrow questioningly in return.

"You gave me supplies yesterday, so I'm only returning the favor," Shego shrugged nonchalantly.

"Thanks," Kim mumbled softly as she started cleaning her wounds.

"You know, you could've just kicked the glass with your foot," Shego pointed out as she got up and walked to the kitchen.

"I know, but I panicked and was trying to balance on the roof. You probably would've done the same thing if you were in my position," Kim defended with a wince from the stinging of her cuts.

Grabbing two cold water bottles from her fridge, she tossed one to Kim and sat back down, making sure to keep a sizable amount of distance between them.

"You see Kimmie, that's where you're wrong," Shego said as she took a few swigs of her water.

"How so?" Kim asked, gulping down her water gratefully. The chilled liquid slid down her sandpaper throat with ease, and the teen exhaled satisfyingly.

"I wouldn't have kicked or punched the glass at all. I would've just left you there and escaped myself," Shego said flatly with a serious expression. She was dead serious.

"I don't expect anything less from you," Kim sighed as she inhaled her water, putting the empty plastic bottle on the coffee table. Finishing wrapping her hands with thin bandages, she gave the unused supplies back to Shego.

"You shouldn't. I can take perfectly good care of myself without you around," Shego informed with her head tilted slightly up.

"Says the girl that came crawling to me after getting her ass whooped by some pathetic villains," Kim muttered dryly.

"There were tons of henchmen! And they all had guns!" Shego snarled vexedly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Or you're just out of shape," Kim retorted knowing the irony of that statement since she was too.

_I feel like I should make "pissing Shego off" a hobby. I seem to be really good at it._

"You're one to talk. You could barely handle 4 of his goons, I had to fight 40 of them!" Shego countered with a defensive glare.

"Fair enough. It's been a while since I fought so I'm a little rusty," Kim said as she crossed her arms over her sore chest.

"Time to shake off that rust then, Princess. You and I are sparring on the roof later," Shego stated with an intense gaze.

"But you're injured!" Kim protested as she glanced at Shego's freshly wrapped wounds. The gash on her forehead was left uncovered, and a nasty cut was hidden slightly from her raven hair.

_She could barely walk up the stairs, and now she wants to fight?_

"So? I doubt you can hit me hard enough to hurt me more anyways," Shego smirked with a daring gleam in her eyes.

"How out of shape do you think I am?" Kim asked incredulously.

"A limp, overcooked noodle is a shape. So I'll go with that," Shego snickered as she looked the teen hero up and down.

"Fine, I accept your challenge," Kim sighed with an offended eye roll.

_I haven't sparred with Shego since that night. Can I even do it?_

A low growl escaping from Kim's stomach shook her out of her thoughts. She grinned slightly at Shego sheepishly, who grunted in return.

"I didn't have time to run errands yesterday since I was stuck cleaning my apartment. What flavor energy bar did you want?" Shego asked tiredly as she searched her bare pantry. Walking back into the living room with a box of assorted bars, she allowed Kim to choose one.

_She's treating me almost nicely. Almost. Should I be worried?_

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	12. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: You know Shego's pissed when she calls Kim by her actual name. Oh, and the plot thickens with a surprise visit from a stuffed animal :0

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 11_

"Why are all of your clothes so tight?" Kim asked with an exasperated sigh. Tugging on the collar of her new bright green crop top, she looked down at her skin-tight black leggings. "And why is almost everything in your closet green or black?" She frowned at Shego. The villainess had forced her to change out of her dirty, blood-stained clothes and into something "painfully less drab."

"Because I look sexy as hell in skin-tight, green and black clothes," Shego replied nonchalantly as if that was a commonly known fact. She donned a pair of high-waisted, black leggings and a forest green, deep V-neck tucked in shirt. Her newly bandaged wrist was planted firmly on the curve of her hip, and she continued to look amusedly at Kim's fidgeting.

"These aren't my colors," Kim sighed as she slipped a light jacket messily over her shoulders. She remembered to grab her Kimmunicator and stash it into the jacket pocket.

"Obviously not. Why are all your clothes so loose?" Shego asked, walking towards the door and slipping on her shoes.

"Because they're comfortable," Kim shrugged. A feeling of burning dread crept into her stomach as she tied her shoes tightly and trailed behind Shego.

_Oh god, I can't hit Shego!_

"They ruin your body," Shego argued as they walked down the hall.

"The last thing I'm worried about is my fashion choices," Kim mumbled.

It was around 1:00 PM and time for their sparring session that Shego insisted they have. The apartment complex was relatively empty since they didn't run into any tenants, and the dimly lit hallways were eerily quiet. The people living there could probably feel Kim's tension. Sunlight poured through the crystal glass windows, illuminating beads of sweat lacing the teen hero's forehead.

Despite being well aware of Kim's growing nervousness, Shego was unnervingly calm and unconcerned. With confident strides, her limp barely noticeable, she turned to look at Kim.

"Why are you so nervous?" Shego inquired with a quirked eyebrow.

"I'm not. It's no big," Kim mumbled, her mind wandering as she collected her thoughts.

"Pumpkin, we're sparring, not fighting to the death. I'm not even using my plasma," Shego sighed with irritation as she unlocked a door that led to a small platform outside.

"I know that," Kim replied tersely, her bandaged hands clenched into tight fists.

_I don't understand how she finds joy in fighting when she's injured._

She stepped out onto the metal floor that jutted out from the side of the building, feeling a greeting of the chilled September breeze. Her muscles felt cold and stiff, and she pulled the jacket tighter around her shoulders to block the wind.

Shego raised her body temperature and started climbing the creaky, metal staircase that led to the roof. The stairs looked aged and unused with white paint peeling off the edges. Kim reluctantly followed, and she felt like she was walking the stairway to hell, her death imminent.

Since Shego lived on the top floor, they were on the large roof in a matter of seconds. It was fairly empty with sporadic pipes and beams popping out of the floor like moles in a molehill. Even though it wasn't necessarily cold, Kim had to force back the chills that rattled her bones. The fact that the villainess was so nonchalant about it made it even more nerve-wracking.

Kim dragged her feet across to the end of the roof while Shego stayed at the end near the staircase. She turned around and assumed a defensive stance but paused when she saw Shego. Sitting down.

Confusion clouded her olive eyes as she watched Shego spread her toned legs and start stretching. Noticing Kim's stance, Shego shook her head and beckoned the redhead over with a wave of her hand.

Kim walked over curiously and peered down at the relaxed villainess. The gentle breeze billowed in her raven hair, sending long luscious locks flowing into the air.

"What are you doing? I thought we were going to spar," Kim asked with a frown. Like a pale streak of lightning, Shego's arm shot out and pulled the unsuspecting redhead down roughly. With a yelp from the yank, Kim fell to the ground in front of Shego.

"What are _you _doing? Do you seriously not warm up before fighting?" Shego asked incredulously.

"I hardly have time to warm up when I'm called to fight you," Kim pointed out as she matched Shego's stretches.

"Whatever. I'm not interested in pulling any muscles, so you can join me if you want," Shego said as she turned Kim's foot out, fixing the form of her stretch.

"I- uh don't really know any warm-up exercises," Kim said lamely, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

Shego just stared at her as if she had the intelligence equivalent to a box of oatmeal, before shaking her head and muttering something inaudible. It probably wasn't something nice anyway. With an exaggerated eye roll and a deep sigh, Shego tiredly showed Kim some stretches and skips to warm up.

Kim was stunned to know how knowledgeable Shego was since the pale thief corrected her form often.

_Well, this is educational. Shego's almost like a mentor. A brash, criminally-bound mentor._

"You know, you'd make a great teacher," Kim said as Shego fixed her arm placement.

"I already am since I have a degree in child development. Emphasis on "_child,"_ Shego smirked as she looked pointedly at Kim.

"You have an actual degree that's not related to anything illegal?" Kim asked disbelievingly, ignoring the subtle insult that was directed towards her.

"Not everything I do is illegal! Villainy's a lifestyle, not the sun I orbit!" Shego snapped.

"Ok ok sorry, do you have a job besides working for Drakken then?" Kim questioned.

"Do you seriously think a school would hire a world-class criminal who's wanted in 11 countries to take care of their annoying brats?" Shego scoffed as if Kim was asking the dumbest questions.

"Touché," Kim sighed.

After a few more light exercises, Shego backed up and assumed a fighting stance. Kim responded by jumping into a defensive position, feeling anxious about what's to come. Despite feeling loose from all the stretches they did, her posture and expression were stiff.

"You ready to get your ass kicked Princess?" Shego smirked loudly over the whistling wind.

"I'll be the only one here kicking ass today Shego," Kim said halfheartedly. She wasn't feeling the same thrill and excitement she usually felt when fighting Shego with Drakken back then.

_I really don't want to do this. I know it's just sparring, but I don't want to hurt her. This is-_

Like a piercing arrow, Shego shot across the roof and jerked Kim out of her anxious thoughts. The villainess covered the distance between them with only three long strides, and she immediately launched a flying kick, attacking offensively.

Kim snapped her dazed eyes at the oncoming pale blur, feeling the mild adrenaline pump through her veins like gasoline in a car. Instinctively, she jumped and rolled out of the way. Her bruised ribs met stone as she hit the concrete floor, and she winced from the sharp pain. Leaping back to her feet with a wobble, she ducked at the last second as Shego swung a powerful right hook.

Shego planted her foot in the ground and sent a roundhouse kick to Kim's side. The petite redhead dodged again and backed up, resuming her defensive stance.

_Nice to know she's favoring her uninjured leg for kicks. _

Shego didn't waste time as she launched a flurry of messy punches, only to be blocked or dodged by Kim. The fight had been going on for about five minutes, and Kim still hadn't shot a punch or kick. With a low growl, Shego swept her good leg in a butterfly kick, nailing Kim on her bruised ribs. The teen hero gasped in pain and doubled over, wincing with each shaky exhale.

"Guess you're gonna have to start fighting back now, Pumpkin," Shego snickered with a daring glint in her emerald eyes. Leaping backward like a cat, Shego inspected her nails tiredly with an unbothered expression. She was practically inviting Kim to break up the distance and take the offensive side.

_She wants a fight? No more playing nice Kim, it's time to kick ass._

Forcefully pushing away her nervousness and guilt, Kim sprinted towards Shego with newfound determination. Her face was steely as she launched a powerful side kick at Shego, who dodged and stumbled back in surprise. Swinging her leg for a roundhouse kick, the redhead timed the attack wrong and lost her balance. The mistake was enough time for Shego to recover and smash Kim's side with a side punch.

Kim almost fell over from the impact to her tender ribs, and a flash of guilt clouded Shego's eyes momentarily before disappearing. She was originally aiming for the teen's shoulder, but her timing was off and uneven like the rest of her moves.

"Can't even take a hit anymore, Princess?" Shego teased nefariously.

Inhaling sharply, Kim snapped up with a low axe kick, missing Shego's body entirely.

_Yep, I'm definitely out of shape. Everything feels off and weak, and I can't even aim my moves right._

Shego would've laughed at the horribly miscalculated attack if she didn't have to block a low sweep from Kim. The kick caught her in the legs, but Shego barely budged from the wearied impact.

_Honestly, that was just pathetic._

"How did you even take out Drakken's goons with that?" Shego snickered.

"The rush of adrenaline helped, and I was still fresh earlier!" Kim huffed as she blocked a right hook.

"Or maybe they're just as pathetically weak as they were before- to match your current strength of course," Shego said smugly. She grunted as a precise front kick nailed her in the chest and sent her flying two feet back.

_Who's weak now?_

Kim avoided using her arms as weapons since her bandaged fists were still covered in deep cuts. Sticking with leg-based moves, she hoped she still had enough power to knock Shego around.

The two battled for a few more minutes, neither side having an advantage over the other. Their lack of practice was as clear as the limp returning to Shego's injured leg.

_What's Shego been doing in the last 3 months? She's as rusty as me._

Sending a high crescent kick to Shego's chest, Kim blinked in surprise as the pale thief grabbed her lifted leg. With a smirk, Shego swung Kim flying towards the edge of the roof. Twisting mid-air and landing on the ground lightly on all fours, the teen hero only had a half a breath before she had to dodge an uppercut from Shego.

Leaping backward with a visible trip, Kim was getting uncomfortably close to the edge. She glanced behind her to see the blurry world mill about its day 6 stories below. Shego sensed her hesitation and swung a poorly aimed fist towards Kim's chest, losing her balance slightly from the miscalculation.

Kim easily dodged the punch and swiftly switched places with Shego who stumbled forward. The teen hero lifted her leg for a front kick but immediately froze when she recognized their positions. It felt disturbingly reminiscent.

A flashback of the night of the tower incident passed through Kim's wide eyes as she remembered the events vividly. She remembered how they were in the exact same position. She remembered how she launched the exact same kick. She remembered everything.

Shego stood about a foot away from the edge and regained her posture quickly. Glancing at Kim's lifted leg and the abyss behind her, sheer fear flashed in her terrified eyes for a very brief second. It dissipated and evolved into anger, and she pulled her lips back in a small snarl. Sensing Kim's hesitation, the villainess stood still with a calm fury sparkling in her narrowed eyes, daring the teen to finish the job like she did 3 months ago. She didn't even bother trying to move out of the way.

_NO!_

Yanking her leg back in shock, Kim pulled a stunned Shego from the edge and into a tight hug. Her breath was raspy and uneven, and she didn't know if it was from the sinking feeling in her gut or the throbbing in her ribs.

Shego froze with her lanky arms pinned to her sides as she stood stiff as a board. After a second to collect her senses, the villainess shoved Kim to the ground angrily. The tension and voltage between the two were palpable, and Shego's right eye twitched with rage.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Shego snarled loudly as she looked down at Kim. She towered over the petite redhead like a skyscraper, engulfing her in a torn blanket of shadows.

"I- I had a memory of the tower, and I- Uhm it was terrifying because w-we were in the same position. And oh god Shego, I'm so sorry, I just-" Kim stammered out anxiously as she looked directly into Shego's dilated eyes.

"Listen to me right now Kim. Don't you ever, _ever_ try to fucking apologize for that night. Because I don't give a flying shit about your empty "I am sorry's." Shego spoke in a low, infuriatingly calm voice. Her eyes glittered dangerously through the strands of midnight hair covering parts of her steaming face.

Without another word, Shego whipped around and stormed down the stairs leading back to her apartment. Her heavy steps echoed in the painful silence, eventually fading away like the sunlight before an oncoming hurricane. The gentle breeze had transformed into a churning wind that whipped Kim's shocked face. Its taunts and howls didn't faze her as she continued to stare with wide, olive eyes at the empty air where Shego had been.

_Well... shit. _

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

With a floor-shaking slam of her door, an enraged Shego stomped into her empty apartment. Smoke was basically pouring out of her ears as she fumed with overflowing rage that boiled over the pot. Out of pure anger, the villainess unleashed her wrath on the pastel green wall nearest to the entrance.

A swift, bone-crushing punch that was trimmed with glaring green plasma was enough to smash a sizable hole in her thin wall. Fragments and splinters exploded from the impact, raining down on Shego like rigid, flinty hail. Shaking her hair roughly like a wet dog, she sent the sharp pieces flying around her spotless apartment, dappling the shiny floor with imperfections. Her impulsive, unleashed rage did little to help soothe the searing wounds in her mind, and she smacked her head against the demolished wall out of frustration.

"_I'm sorry for trying to murder you that one time Shego! How about we just forget I did that though cause' it's ruining my perfect little image?" What complete and utter bullshit! I can't believe that brat!_

With a low growl at no one in particular, Shego pushed away the tiny voice in her head that was pouring guilt onto her fury of flames, reminding her that that wasn't what Kim was trying to say. It desperately tried to extinguish the raging fire, replaying Kim's attempt at an apology.

_It's not my fault! She fucking deserved it! If anything, I let her off easy!_

Anger always won in the end for Shego. It was the easiest emotion to understand, so she often gravitated to those feelings when they surfaced. Stifling a frustrated scream, she trampled everything in her way to her bedroom. She locked the door behind her and ran a hand through her tousled raven hair with a sigh. It's been a long, eventful Saturday.

A swift, small blur of movement outside her bedroom window caught her attention immediately. It was obscured, and it disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared. She gazed outside with annoyance before pulling her lips back in a low growl, finding nothing peculiar or out of the ordinary.

However, as she went to sit on her green-clad bed, something else made her stiffen and freeze in place. The temperature of the room suddenly dropped 50 degrees and sharp chills ran up Shego's spine, causing her to shiver despite not being physically cold.

A small stuffed animal was sitting indifferently on her inky pillows, it's dead, beady eyes staring aimlessly at Shego's wide emerald ones. The lifeless toy had the round, black body and head of a panda with the tan feet, tail, and ears of a kangaroo. A Pandaroo. It looked brand new as it wasn't covered in a single scratch or rip of fabric.

_There's only one person I know besides Kim who's obsessed with Cuddle Buddies. DNAmy._

* * *

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**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	13. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Here's a pretty calm chapter to help Kim and Shego wind down from all the fast-paced, hectic events that happened!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 12_

The sky was a rolling field of clouds the color of wet ash, and the roof its dank reflection. Like tiny specks of shimmering snowflakes, stars twinkled aimlessly through the fog of the setting night. A sliver of the moon stood nervously in the sky, casting a faint glow that illuminated the inky clouds. The cold autumn air drifted through Kim's fiery mane, kissing her red cheeks with a frosty touch.

Night had fallen over Middleton quickly, spreading a vast array of sparkling constellations across the indigo sky. No more than an hour ago, the ether was painted with warm hues of sunset oranges, pastel pinks, and light lavenders. Kim guessed she'd been on the roof for hours, watching the time fly by like the occasional pigeon.

The teen hero paced along the edges of the roof, letting the blanket of darkness embrace her small body tightly. As Kim felt herself drown in the welcoming shadows, she found a strange sense of comfort from being hidden. She became one with the dimly lit night, merging in between the folds of black strands and melting into the dark threads. With glazed olive eyes, she watched her breath rise as new white-puffed ribbons of silk that dissipated within seconds.

Each soft step echoed within the silence of the roof, adding a beat to the mixture of sounds in the background. Cars sped and honked, dogs barked, and people milled about their night on the streets below. Kim walked without conviction, seeing the fading light from the doorway in her flickering daydreams. She closed her eyes as she reached out to it, letting it become more real than the freezing night.

Sitting along the edge of the apartment complex roof, Kim swung her legs back and forth as she peered below her feet. With distracted eyes, she mindlessly watched the world go about its day in a blur of car lights and colors. The wind swirled teasingly through her small crop top, and she pulled her light jacket tighter around her shoulders to block out the whispering breeze. Her exposed midriff felt like a block of ice, begging to be melted by a welcoming green flame.

Kim thought about her sparring session with Shego as the obscure gleam of the white moon bathed her face. The air was solemn and sober, and the redhead found it hard to breathe with her aching ribs. Somehow, she didn't feel sad but disappointed. She somewhat expected Shego to react that way; anger was almost always understandably her reaction to unfamiliar situations.

Her stomach growled with earnest, and each swallow felt like sand trickling down an hourglass. Despite her hours of sulking on the roof, Kim felt exhausted and drained as the events of earlier and last night crashed into her fragile walls like a wrecking ball. Dangling her legs precariously over the side of the roof, she pulled her Kimmunicator out of her jacket pocket and stared blankly at the black screen.

Kim turned the device on and was briefly blinded from the bright light that struck her hollow eyes. Blinking several times to adjust to the new brightness, she frowned when she looked at her notifications and missed calls.

_2 missed calls from Monique. 6 from Ron. 23 from each of her parents. _

Wanting someone to talk to, she ran through the people she could call in her head thoughtfully. Her cold fingers fiddled with the Kimmunicator as she carefully considered her options.

Ron would freak out and probably call Global Justice. Wade wouldn't be much of an emotional pillow. My parents would chew me out and start worrying more than they already are. Monique?

Kim frowned as she thought about the fashion diva.

_She'd be the best person to vent to. And besides, I owe it to her to tell her what's going on._

Without a second thought, she dialed Monique and listened to the long buzz. After a few seconds, a voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Kim! You have a lot of explaining to do, girl. Why didn't you answer my calls?" Monique asked with worry etched in her voice.

"Hey Monique, yeah, you're right. I do have a lot of explaining to do," Kim sighed as she took a deep breath. Letting out her frustrations, worries, and stress onto Monique, she let them flow freely into her phone.

Kim explained everything. She started from the beginning when she first saw Shego at the club and described the strange events that led to why she was sitting on the edge of Shego's apartment complex. Monique listened intently and quietly through the teen hero's long vent.

After Kim was done, she collapsed onto her back and let out a deep sigh of relief. The hard concrete felt cool against her abdomen, sending icy shivers up her spine. It felt like a heavy weight she was straining from carrying was suddenly lifted off her shoulders, the intense pressure released. The newfound silence felt surprisingly comfortable as both teens took a few minutes to absorb the mountain of information.

"Wow. I have no idea how to respond to this," Monique said after a while, trying to hide the surprise in her calm voice.

"It's a lot to take in, I know. It's been a day, and I'm still trying to process everything. It's surreal," Kim said softly. There was no one around yet she felt the need to speak quietly. She gazed at the glimmering sky and churning layers of clouds with clear, olive eyes.

"Well, thank you for telling me all this, Kim. How're you holding up with all of this?" Monique asked.

Kim paused to think about that. After talking to someone about it, everything didn't seem as overwhelming as it had before. She reminded herself that she wasn't as alone as she felt and that Shego shared the burden with her.

_And I pissed her off on Day 1. _

"Considering everything that just happened, better than I thought I'd be doing," Kim sighed with a shrug that Monique couldn't see.

Silence followed into the night for a few, long seconds that seemed to stretch for hours.

"Kim, something's bothering you. What's wrong?" Monique inquired tenderly.

"Nothing's wrong," Kim lied with pursed lips.

"Girl, you know you can't pull that off on me, I know you way too well. Tell me what's wrong," Monique ordered in a soft but firm voice.

"Everything I do is pissing Shego off," Kim mumbled defeatedly after a while.

"Is that why you're sulking on the roof of her apartment?" Monique asked knowingly.

"Yeah, I just… I tried to apologize again for that night. But she keeps getting touchy when I bring it up," Kim explained with another sigh.

"Then don't bring it up," Monique stated flatly.

"What?" Kim blinked.

"It's obviously something she's not ready to talk about. She might think you're pushing her to confront it when she's trying to forget the incident," Monique reasoned in a calm voice.

"Oh… I never thought about it like that. I keep messing things up, Monique," Kim shook her head dejectedly.

"Even Kim Possible makes mistakes sometimes. Don't worry, she'll talk to you about it when she's ready. It's only been a day, after all," Monique reminded her friend.

"A very long day," Kim agreed with a wry smile.

"For the both of us! You won't believe what happened today at work," Monique mused with an exasperated sigh.

"Sounds like nothing good, do spill," Kim urged, feeling a little cheerier than earlier.

"Ok, so it was around the last five or so minutes of my shift when Bonnie walked into Club Banana," Monique started as she recalled the events.

_Bonnie. She's 10 times more annoying than Shego hands down._

"And she made me follow her around for an hour, asking dumb questions and making me show her every single goddamn outfit in the store. She knew my shift was over. I had to work overtime because my boss was there, and she's big on quality customer service. I didn't even get paid extra for helping that bitch!" Monique ranted.

"I swear, it's like the devil summons her to make life hell for us every day," Kim gave a light laugh.

"Or maybe she is the devil," Monique chuckled dryly.

"It would definitely explain a lot about her," Kim said with a feigned gasp of surprise.

The two friends talked with each other for a few more minutes, easing into mundane conversations about school, work, and boys. It was refreshing for Kim to be pulled into the teenage problems of normal life.

"Girl, I've got to know one more thing before you go," Monique started.

"What's that?" Kim asked curiously.

"Does Ron know about all of what's happening right now?" Monique questioned.

"No, he doesn't. Hell, my parents don't even know, and they're probably freaking out more than ever right now," Kim answered sadly.

"You're going to have to tell all of them soon, Kim. Ron's going to be upset if you don't; he's your best friend for crying out loud!" Monique exclaimed.

"I know, and I feel horrible from keeping this from him. I just have no idea how to tell him that we need to trust our former enemy Shego, Global Justice is hunting us down, and multiple villains are trying to kill us. He won't take it well," Kim sighed as the beginnings of a headache made her head throb.

"It's going to be messy, but he might be able to help," Monique argued.

"Yeah, it'd be spankin' if he could, but Shego's already really pissed at me. Imagine what would happen if Ron were to jump into the equation," Kim shuddered from the thought.

"We'd be digging a whole lot of graves," Monique agreed with a small laugh.

"Or the human race might go extinct," Kim joked with amusement.

After exchanging a few more lighthearted jokes, the two friends said their goodbyes and hung up. Kim slipped her Kimmunicator back into her jacket pocket before sitting up, her legs dangling over the edge again. Letting her eyes drift out into the sea of infinite stars, she welcomed the reassuring and serene feeling that washed over her worries. Kim never realized how talking to Monique would have affected her this much, since she now had a ton to think about.

Her head was tilted slightly to the side, allowing her crimson hair to fall loose over her relaxed face, tousled and tangled. Icy air swirled around the teen hero, stealing every lick of warmth from her lithe body. She shivered as she licked her dry, cracked lips, feeling the bite of the growling wind on the tip of her tongue.

As the brilliant lights of the Milky Way became hidden behind a wall of foreboding cloud, Kim concluded it was time to leave the comforting silence of the roof. Reluctantly pushing herself to her feet, she walked slowly to the staircase leading back down into the apartment complex. Her steps were deliberately labored, as the teen was pondering on what to say if Shego was back in her apartment.

_It's late, so she might be asleep._

Kim dragged her numb feet down the old, rusted staircase, each step emitting a low creak that pierced through the whispering wind. As she opened the door to the building, her chilled face was immediately bathed with warmth. Her tight, icy limbs loosened from the thaw, and she felt the redness on her nose and ears fade.

Like a russet-furred cat stalking an unsuspecting mouse, the redhead's steps were light as she floated over to Room 666. Taking a deep breath that seemed to rattle her core, she knocked quietly. After a few seconds with no response, she tried again a little louder. When Kim was met with silence, she curiously tried the doorknob with a tentative, bandaged hand. To her surprise, it was left unlocked, probably for whenever she came back down from the roof.

Opening the door carefully, Kim poked her head in the apartment to search for any signs of Shego. It looked dark and empty, so she suspected the villainess was already asleep in her bedroom. She closed the door behind her quietly and walked into the room, only to pause and remember to take her shoes off first.

She began to wander around curiously, but she froze abruptly when something alarming caught her eyes. It was a gigantic hole the size of her head in the pastel green walls. Kim blinked and rubbed her tired eyes, doing a double-take on what she was seeing. The edges of the hole were blackened and falling apart, charred to a crisp from what she assumed was Shego's plasma.

_I wonder what the landlord will say about this._

Shaking her head roughly, Kim walked over to the couch where a soft glow was brightening the small living room. The teen frowned as the pale light of a desk lamp reflected off of various items. They were all stacked neatly on the couch cushions, and she inspected each one carefully. Shego had left her a clean towel, a pair of fresh pajamas, a new toothbrush with a small bottle of toothpaste, a brush, an unopened plastic bottle of water, and a peanut butter protein bar.

_I'm guessing she ran some errands after our sparring session. How does she even shop without getting caught? I'll ask her tomorrow._

Kim inhaled the food and water gratefully, feeling her angry stomach settle comfortably afterward. It wasn't much food to be considered a meal, but it was enough to keep the ache of hunger away temporarily. Setting the trash onto the coffee table, she grabbed the other items and head over to Shego's single bathroom.

She stopped before she reached the bathroom and stared at Shego's bedroom door. Kim glanced at the things in her hand before quietly approaching the door as if it were a wild animal. She knocked twice extremely softly, her bandaged knuckles just brushing the wood.

"Thank you," Kim whispered knowing Shego probably didn't hear her even if she wasn't asleep.

Whipping around, she briskly walked to the bathroom thinking Shego might explode out of the bedroom in a raging green flurry of flames.

_I don't want to end up like that poor wall._

Kim quickly slipped out of the dirty clothes Shego lent her and hopped into the shiny shower. She quickly washed, brushed her teeth, and put on the clean pajamas. They were green and black like most things Shego owned, and they hung loosely over her petite body. With the small brush, the teen attempted to comb through the tangled mass of wild, red hair.

Gathering the dirty clothes in her arms, she opened the bathroom door and let the steamy air escape. Kim folded the clothes and set them neatly on the floor next to the couch before she climbed on the narrow cushion and settled in. The uncomfortableness was expected as the redhead fidgeted and groaned to find a decent position that didn't make her bruised ribs ache. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of tossing and turning, Kim fell into a dark pit of haunting nightmares.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

A low creak sounded from outside Shego's bedroom as someone entered her apartment. Her sharp senses made her a very light sleeper. She awoke from her troubled sleep in a pool of cold sweat, her forest green blanket tangled in between her legs. The sky outside was still a blanket of darkness littered with fragments of glassy stars, so she concluded it was still nighttime.

The villainess sat up stiffly in her bed as she strained to listen to the soft pattering of who she suspected was Kim. Her sheer anger had dissolved into nothing more than mild irritation, but maybe that was the alcohol talking since Shego had a drink before crashing into bed.

_Why is she back so late?_

Shego frowned as she heard soft steps approach her room. Two low knocks echoed from the other side of the door, and the pale thief bit her lip to restrain from yelling for Kim to go away. Her frown relaxed slightly when a very quiet "thank you" was breathed through the door, the words barely a whisper.

_That brat better be thankful, cause' I could've just locked the apartment door, to begin with. Seeing her passed out on the roof would've been pretty funny._

The shower turned on a minute later and Shego found herself staring at the Cuddle Buddy she found on her bed earlier. Its lifeless plushy body sat on her windowsill unbothered. She reached a pale green arm out and snatched the stuffed animal roughly, bringing it close to her face. The darkness made it hard to see, and Shego squinted her emerald eyes to peer at the toy curiously.

_This has DNAmy written all over it. I can't believe that bitch knows where I live! What even was that thing I saw outside my window earlier? Was it some freaky ass creation of hers? _

Shego inspected each thread and stuffing of the Pandaroo, searching for any clues as to why DNAmy would place it here.

_Is it a sign? A warning? A warning for what though? If she knows where I live, why doesn't she just attack? How did she even break in here in the first place? Was it that thing I saw? I can't believe this bitch, she's going to pay!_

With a start, Shego's glazed eyes were washed with licks of a green flame. She looked down to see the Cuddle Buddy in her hands engulfed with jade plasma and fire, its soft fabric burning smoothly like butter. The villainess watched the dancing ribbons of hot light play their games around the charred stuffed animal clutched in her fingertips, immediately letting the flames dissipate after a second.

A small pile of dry ash had fallen underneath the blackened form, and Shego hurled the heap of burnt fabric and stuffing. It landed back onto the windowsill with a crumbling thud, small bits of soot smearing the crystal window. With a heavy sigh of frustration, Shego collapsed on her back and stared at the pitch-black ceiling. Despite not being able to see anything through the thick wisps of shadows, her glittering emerald eyes stayed open and alert.

_DNAmy was here. What does she want from me and Kim? It doesn't matter, we'll just kick her ass if she shows up again._

Shego laid awake with her thoughts when she realized how dry her throat felt. All the deep thinking and confused questions plaguing her mind were making a massive migraine pound her head. The villainess hopped off her bed and floated, with the stealth of a thief, to her door. She moved like water inside the shadows, weaving through their dark streaks with ease. It was silent on the other side since the shower had turned off a while ago, so she opened it carefully.

The desk lamp near the couch was still turned on, emitting a faint glow onto the sleeping face of Kim. Her water forgotten, Shego crept closer curiously to see if the redhead was asleep. Her face was contorted in a deep frown, and soft, scared moans escaped her dry lips. Kim thrashed on the small couch, her back arched from the lack of a pillow.

_Huh. I wonder if she's actually awake and faking a nightmare for pity points._

Not really thinking about what she was doing, Shego found her feet dragging her to the linen closet. Her pale arms reached for an extra blanket, and she tiptoed back over to Kim like a mouse. Upon closer inspection, the pale thief could see that Kim's forehead was clammy with sweat despite her shivering.

Shego laid the blanket over Kim, covering her petite form with soft fabric. The villainess pulled the blanket to the sleeping girl's shoulders, wrapping her with warmth. With a deep sigh, she rested a hand on Kim's green-clad shoulder, her fingertips barely brushing. The gentle touch seemed to immediately soothe the teen, as her face relaxed and her fidgeting ceased. Electricity sparked between the two for a second before Shego blinked in confusion.

With a sudden yank back, Shego stared at her hand as if it had a mind of its own.

_What am I doing?! I had one too many drinks tonight if I'm seriously offering comfort to a brat._

Shego growled silently at no one as she trudged back to her room, no water in her hands. She collapsed back in bed and stared at the burnt, unrecognizable Cuddle Buddy, hoping sleep would come.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

A small, furry creature bounded across the shiny tiled floor with light, long strides. It jumped onto the wide lap of a short, black-haired woman in a white lab coat.

DNAmy stroked the creature thoughtfully and silently praised herself for creating something so intelligent.

"Did you find them?" DNAmy asked as she cooed the little ball of fur.

The creature only grinned widely in return, and the geneticist took that as a yes.

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	14. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: At the end, I feel like it'd be "Let it Go" from Frozen that plays in the car, and Shego just really hates it :D

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 13_

The scent of something cooking wafted through Kim's nose, pulling her out of troubled sleep. It smelled like the comforts of home, and the teen felt her olive eyes flutter open tiredly. Wrapped in the warmth of a light green blanket, she looked around in confusion.

She was still laying on Shego's couch in her apartment, and the lamp on the coffee table was turned off.

_I don't remember Shego leaving a blanket for me. Then again, it was late so I probably missed it._

A low sizzling filled the fragrant air with wisps of steam and the scent of spices, reminding Kim of her mom's cooking back at her house. Sunlight flooded the small apartment through the wide, sparkling windows, bathing the room with a warm glow. The sun has almost fully risen in the sky, and Kim guessed she'd slept in by how bright it was. The redhead sat up very slowly and peeked curiously over the couch like a child who didn't want to be caught.

Shego was standing at the stove with her back facing Kim. She donned a tight pair of black jeans and a ruffled t-shirt that slid off one shoulder, showing the strap of a sports bra. Her raven hair hung messily down to her waist with flyaway strands sticking out in random places. One hand was planted firmly on the curve of her hip while the other was stirring something on the stove. Kim noticed she'd taken the bandages off her left wrist, revealing long, fresh scars from the metal handcuffs.

Kim pursed her lips as she stared dazedly at Shego's back, remembering her outburst yesterday. A deep frown formed on her face as she glanced at the massive hole in the wall near the entrance.

_Shego was pissed. Like, REALLY pissed. Nightmares are looking like more of a safer option than an angry Shego. Maybe I can just go back to sleep-_

"You seriously need to make your ogling more discreet, Princess," Shego commented, still turned away from Kim.

_Oh shit. I'm dead. So very very dead._

"I'm _not _ogling! How did you even know I was awake?" Kim asked.

"Being a world-class thief made me develop extra sensitive senses," Shego replied calmly, shrugging slightly.

Kim was left dumbfounded as she sat still on the couch.

"Oh, and I can also see your reflection in the microwave," Shego added with a smirk.

Kim gawked but felt a small sheepish smile tug at the corners of her mouth.

_Shego doesn't seem too mad. Or maybe she's just waiting for the right time to strike. _

"Are you going to keep staring at me all day or what?" Shego asked with a hint of annoyance. She finally turned around to look at Kim with a quirked eyebrow. Her unconcerned expression looked bored and tired with a slight frown, Shego's neutral resting face.

_She's being purposely unreadable. What is she thinking about? _

"I guess you're going with staring at me all day then," Shego said flatly as she turned back to her cooking.

"I'm _not _staring!" Kim protested vexedly with a faint blush.

"It's ok, Pumpkin. I'd stare at myself all day if I could too," Shego replied evenly.

Kim rolled her olive eyes and sat back down on the couch, facing away from Shego. Gazing blankly at her bandaged wrists, she thought about what happened yesterday.

_I've never felt so alive and dead at the same time. It's conflicting._

"Come and eat if you don't want to starve," Shego ordered from the kitchen.

Kim hesitated but turned her head, still staying seated on the safety of the couch.

Shego carried two plates filled with an omelet, toast, and fruit to her small dining table. Her emerald eyes weren't focused on the food or Kim but instead wandered distractedly around the room, not settling on any specific object. Although she was clearly lost in deep thought, her eyes and senses were sharp and alert as if she was expecting someone to attack at any minute. Setting the plates on opposite ends of the table, she took a seat and glanced at Kim. With an exasperated sigh and eye roll, she gestured with exaggeration to the other plate of food.

Blinking out of her daze, Kim forced her feet to drag herself to the table. She took a seat without making eye contact with Shego and eyed the homemade breakfast thoughtfully.

"It's not poisoned, if that's what you're worried about," Shego sighed with a dead expression.

_Come to think of it, I never really even thought about her doing that. I don't question the food Shego gives me, and surprisingly, I trust her in that sense._

"No no, I've never questioned that. If you really wanted to kill me, you wouldn't do something as low as food poisoning. You'd probably do something big and grandeur with fireworks or a gigantic explosion," Kim said with a wry smile.

"That's one thing you're right about. Why aren't you eating then?" Shego asked with an irked frown.

"I'm just… distracted I guess," Kim sighed. Feeling her stomach twinge with hunger, she started eating into her breakfast slowly.

"You and me both," Shego grunted as she took a bite of her buttered toast.

"This is spankin'. I didn't know you could cook," Kim commented as she dug into her four-cheese omelet.

"You obviously don't know anything about me. I live alone. What'd you think I ate? Bricks and rocks? Maybe some grass for dessert?" Shego's voice was full of distaste.

"It was a compliment, sorry," Kim muttered dejectedly as she looked away from the villainess. Shego only narrowed her eyes and studied Kim's profile blankly. The tension between the two girls was tangible, and the air felt thick and heavy.

"It's fine, Kimmie. Don't worry about it," Shego sighed after a few seconds.

_Is she talking about the food? Or our sparring session yesterday?_

Kim decided to not think too much of it and continued to eat her food as it was growing cold quickly. Realizing the number of strawberries piled on Shego's plate, she quirked an eyebrow curiously.

"You like strawberries?" Kim asked as she inspected the shiny, red berries.

"Yeah, they're my favorite fruit," Shego replied, popping one in her mouth.

"I honestly didn't expect that. I figured you liked different fruit," Kim said.

"Like?" Shego asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Something dangerous and sharp on the outside like pineapples. Or something green like kiwis or honeydew melons," Kim said with a small shrug.

"Why do you keep assuming I like anything that's green?" Shego asked exasperatedly.

Gesturing wildly at everything around her, Kim pointed out Shego's clothes, the walls and tablecloth, and her borrowed pajamas. The pale thief's entire apartment was littered with green things.

"Ok Pumpkin, you got me there," Shego said with a light laugh as Kim smiled a bit.

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed as the two girls cleaned their plates with ease, and Kim silently wished for seconds. Before Shego could collect her dirty plate and put it in the sink, the redhead stopped her.

"Thank you for making breakfast. And for the things from last night, especially after me being an inconsiderate brat," Kim said sincerely with a tiny smile.

"You're always a brat, so I'm used it," Shego smirked with a lighthearted expression, knowing what the redhead was implying.

Kim only squawked and put her hand against her chest in mock offense. The villainess didn't say it out loud, but in her mind, she was glad that the tension between them was cleared up somewhat.

"How do you even shop without getting caught anyways?" Kim asked as Shego cleared the table.

"Online shopping and special, secret stores for villains and criminals. I'm their best customer so I get a discount," Shego boasted.

"Which stores?" Kim inquired with a slight frown.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be much of a "secret" now would it?" Shego answered, shrugging her shoulders.

Kim didn't respond as she walked back over to the couch, snagging her Kimmunicator from the coffee table. Quickly brushing her tangled red mane, she pressed a few buttons as she called Wade. The low buzz of the dial echoed throughout the apartment, and Shego sauntered over curiously, her limp gone much to Kim's surprise. After a few more rings, an image of Wade popped up onto the device's small screen and Kim brightened.

"Hey Wade," Kim greeted as Shego sat on the other end of the couch.

"Hey Kim, are you still at Shego's place?" Wade inquired as he attempted to peer at the background behind Kim. The teen hero nodded and pointed the Kimmunicator at Shego, who only scoffed and turned away with irritation.

Glad to see you're still alive then. So what can I do for you?" Wade asked as he let his hands rest on his keyboard.

"What's the current sitch with Global Justice?" Kim asked as her face contorted in a deep frown.

"Did you want me to find out what they're doing to search for you and Shego?" Wade questioned as his fingers began flying over the keys.

"Please and thank you," Kim thanked with a smile.

"It'll take me a few minutes. I'll call you back after I do some digging," Wade said.

"Take your time," Kim nodded and hung up, placing the Kimmunicator back on the table.

Turning to her left, she realized Shego was gone before the villainess walked back into the living room. Under her pale arm, she carried a fresh stack of clothes and tossed them to Kim. The teen picked up the scattered clothes and inspected them as Shego sat back down.

_Green and black, what a surprise. I'm going to need to buy some of my own clothes if I get the chance._

"You should wear tighter clothes more often. They look good on you," Shego commented as Kim came out of the bathroom fully dressed.

The teen hero was about to reply when a loud beeping sounded from her Kimmunicator in the living room. Suspecting it was Wade calling back, she scrambled over to the device and hurriedly answered it without checking the caller ID.

"Hey Wade, what's the sitch?" Kim greeted, anxious to find out about what Global Justice was up to.

"Kim? This is Ron," Ron's voice sounded from the other end of the call. He didn't sound like his usual happy and cheery self, and his tone was instead very tense and perplexed.

"Hey Ron," Kim started, trying her best to force some enthusiasm as her mind began to frantically whirl. Hearing his name, Shego scooted over next to the redhead and leaned in to hear the conservation. Her expression looked amused, and she shrugged nonchalantly when seeing Kim's questioning face. The villainess smelled drama.

"Where are you right now?" Ron asked, his tone serious.

Kim glanced nervously at Shego who shook her head rapidly, signaling for the teen to not give away their location.

"Uhm nowhere important, why?" Kim asked nervously.

"Because Global Justice interrogated me this morning about wanting to know your location!" Ron replied indignantly.

"Oh… Yeah, Ron, I was-" Kim started.

"Why didn't you tell me about Shego? I thought we were best friends!" Ron almost whined with anger laced in his voice.

"I'm sorry! I was going to tell you, but everything happened so fast and-" Kim tried to explain desperately.

"I can't believe you chose a criminal over me," Ron said coldly, his tone not hiding the fact he was deeply hurt.

"Hey!" Shego snarled with aggravation into the device.

"Ron, look I-" Kim started.

"Have fun breaking the law and becoming a villain with Shego," Ron growled distantly before hanging up abruptly.

Kim stared blankly at the Kimmunicator's black screen with hollow, olive eyes. Thin strands of red hair hung loosely over her face, streaking it with lonely shadows. Clutching the small device tightly in her hands until her fingers turned white, her body sat frozen in place. It felt like as soon as things started looking better, her world would come tumbling back down and squash those hopes flat.

_Oh god. That went horribly._

"Well, he's a little salty that I'm superior to him in every aspect," Shego commented after a minute of painfully, thick silence. She regarded Kim thoughtfully but didn't know what to say to her after something like that.

Kim was startled out of her dazed state of mind when her Kimmunicator started buzzing again. She immediately answered the call without checking the caller ID again as Shego sat quietly off to the side.

"Ron?" Kim asked hopefully, a small flame rekindling inside.

"Kim, this is Wade. I've got the information," Wade informed with a frown at Kim's deflating expression.

"Oh," Kim mumbled as the flame was extinguished.

"Not the welcome I was expecting," Wade said dryly.

"Sorry, Wade. Ron got questioned by GJ, and he's pretty upset I didn't tell him about all this," Kim gestured to Shego and the apartment they were in. The pale villainess had her legs propped up on the coffee table and was filing her nails uninterestedly.

"Just give him some time to take it all in, he's just surprised and confused," Wade said kindly.

"Yeah, but I still feel terrible for keeping it from him. Anyways, what's the sitch?" Kim asked with a small sigh.

"Nothing too drastic right now. As you probably already know, GJ is questioning your parents and Ron to see if they knew where you went," Wade informed.

"How're my parents?" Kim inquired quietly.

"Extremely worried. They've called me too many times to count, asking if I knew where you were. I didn't give away your location, but I assured them you were safe," Wade insisted.

"I wouldn't guarantee on "safe," Shego grunted lowly. Kim glanced at her quizzically but decided to brush it off.

"That's another thing I have to worry about now. Thanks, Wade," Kim sighed but managed a small smile at the computer genius.

"No problem, Kim. Call me if you need anything," Wade smiled as he disconnected the call.

Kim ran a hand through her tousled red hair, contemplating on what to do. Her full stomach twisted into knots, and she fiddled with the Kimmunicator in her hands nervously. Shego lounged lazily on the side, thinking deeply about something else she wasn't telling the teen hero about.

"I need to see Ron and explain everything," Kim stated softly to no one in particular. Shego looked up from her filing and narrowed her brilliant emerald eyes, easing out of her thoughts.

"No," Shego stated tersely.

"Shego, please, he can help," Kim insisted, feeling her bottom lip pop out.

"I doubt the buffoon would do anything useful, so no," Shego said firmly.

"He's not as dumb as he acts sometimes, I need to see him. Please?" Kim asked with wide olive eyes.

"No," Shego growled halfheartedly as she noticed Kim's pitiful expression.

"Shego, please?" Kim begged as her bottom lip started trembling and tears started building. She looked like a puppy that just got kicked.

"Gah! What is that?" Shego fell back on the armrest as if Kim's puppy dog pout was the scariest thing she'd seen, her expression horrified with a hint of apprehension.

"My greatest weapon," Kim's voice was close to a sob. The villainess continued to stare defiantly into Kim's teary eyes, willing herself not to give in.

"Ok fine! I'll take you to the buffoon, just put that thing away!" Shego huffed with a snarl as she looked away from Kim.

"Spankin'! Thanks, Shego," Kim cheered, her face immediately brightening.

_Even a world-class thief can't resist the almighty puppy dog pout._

"Whatever. Don't do that again," Shego huffed with aggravation as she got up from the couch.

"No promises," Kim said with a small smile.

Shego's eyes twinkled but she didn't say anything as she flung a large coat at Kim. The teen hero looked at it quizzically while Shego shrugged and grabbed one for herself.

"If we're going out in public, we should try to be inconspicuous. If we get caught, I'll just blow everything up and we run like hell," Shego explained nonchalantly.

"Sounds like a solid plan to me," Kim said dryly, slipping the heavy jacket over her shoulders.

"Where the hell are we even going anyway? His man-cave?" Shego asked with a roll of her eyes.

"Ron won't be at home. I've known him my whole life, and I'm 100% positive we'll find him stress eating at Beuno Nacho," Kim informed.

"I'll admit that terrible Mexican fast food slop really does fit him perfectly," Shego smirked.

Shego led Kim outside around the back of the apartment complex. The villainess narrowed her eyes at every rustle of a bush, and her emerald eyes darted back and forth with agitation. Tiny sparks of green flames danced around the tips of her fingertips, intertwining with each other in a playful light. The two girls walked to a shiny, lime green convertible parked near the cover of thick foliage, its glimmering hull melting in with its lush surroundings.

Unlocking the doors with a new set of keys, Shego hopped into the driver's seat and gestured for Kim to take shotgun. The teen hero sat hesitantly on the clean, black leather seats, snapping on her seatbelt with an audible click. She watched Shego glance around nervously from the window as if she was searching for something.

_Something's bothering her. It's like she thinks someone's going to attack us. Which is actually most likely since every villain is after us. _

"You ok?" Kim asked with a slight frown when Shego still hadn't started the car.

"What? Yeah, I'm feeling absolutely fantastic. Can't you tell?" Shego asked sarcastically, snapping out of her light daze. Revving the engine, she pulled out of the secluded lot and drove away recklessly.

"Silly me, I can't believe I missed that cheery smile of yours," Kim replied with the same amount of sarcasm.

Shego snorted and turned on the radio, curling her lips back in a growl when a song she greatly despised started playing.

"God, I hate that song," Shego curled her lip in distaste as she flipped through the stations until she found one she liked.

"My English teacher plays that on repeat. It's so annoying," Kim agreed with a small shake of her head.

"I already hate your teacher with a burning passion," Shego stated with conviction.

"Same here, but I think everyone in his class is already secretly plotting a way to get him fired," Kim laughed a little.

"I'd love to meet this guy. I can do a lot more damage than just getting him fired," Shego grinned nefariously as she glanced at Kim.

"Right now that won't be necessary, but you're too kind to offer such a noble deed," Kim said as she put her hand on her chest with mock sincerity.

"I'm willing to make the sacrifice if it means sparing innocent children from that dreadfully overplayed song," Shego said while flashing a bright mocking smile.

"Please save some of that kindness for when we see Ron later, or just try to not kill him" Kim begged with amusement sparkling in her olive eyes.

"I can't make any promises," Shego smirked while Kim laughed lightheartedly. The pale villainess studied Kim in the corner of her eye for a second before joining in on the laughter. The tension between them had long gone dissipated as Kim grinned slightly at Shego, who after a moment of hesitation, smiled a tiny bit in return.

_This isn't too bad. I could definitely get used to having Shego around._

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**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Y'all should remember that only a day has passed in this story so far, the main plot will pick up soon I swear- (Also, this chapter is like 95% arguing so enjoy heh)

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 14_

Shego pulled her lime green convertible into the Beuno Nacho parking lot. It was rather empty since it was still morning, and the lunch hour hadn't started yet. The villainess snorted when she saw the front of the fast-food place, but she hopped out of the car anyway.

Kim followed suit, and she was immediately greeted with a chilly breeze, laced with sticky drops of dew that licked her cheeks. The oversized, drab coat she donned did wonder to block out the cold, and she relished in the warmth it provided. Shego strut towards the restaurant with confidence that the teen could only wish she had.

"Aren't you nervous about getting caught?" Kim wondered as she strode next to the pale thief.

"Nope. Like I said earlier, if someone happens to report me, I'll just blow shit up and run, doy," Shego explained flatly.

"Is that your plan for everything?" Kim asked amusedly with a roll of her olive eyes.

"Well, sometimes I run first, and _then_ blow shit up," Shego smirked.

The two girls walked through the doors of Beuno Nacho and scanned the inside. An employee working at the cash register didn't even spare them a second glance as he continued to stare at his phone disinterestedly. The fast-food place was completely empty except for one booth near the very back, and Kim perked up when she saw tufts of messy blonde hair peeking over the chair.

Kim calmed her twitching nerves and pushed past Shego, walking towards Ron with tentative steps. The villainess trailed behind tiredly, boredom plastered on her face.

The teen hero stopped a few feet behind an unsuspecting Ron as he stuffed Naco after Naco into his mouth. He wore his usual black turtleneck and baggy cargo pants, a light jacket hanging on the back of his chair. Gooey cheese and strips of lettuce littered the small diner table, and a high stack of dirty plates was pushed off to the side. Rufus sat near the unfinished trays of food, eating at almost the same pace as Ron.

_Here goes nothing. _

"Hey Ron," Kim greeted softly. The hesitation in her voice was tangible as she took a few more steps closer.

Ron choked on his 8th Naco and felt his throat tighten when he heard Kim's voice. He whipped around to stare surprisingly at the redhead, his frown deepening when he saw Shego accompanying his best friend. Nacho cheese dribbled out of the side of his mouth, and his cheeks were dappled with specks of ground beef and sour cream.

At least no one will hear us talk in the back. I doubt anyone cares though since no one eats Mexican food this early and the employee doesn't seem interested in us if we aren't buying food.

"Kim," Ron said tersely, returning to his food.

Kim winced from the ice laced in Ron's cold voice, but she felt determination rise as she attempted to approach him confidently. Sitting across from the binge eating blonde, she gestured for Shego to sit next to her. The villainess looked at the slop and half-eaten food scattered on the table and curled her lips backs in disgust. Holding back a gag, she reluctantly sat next to Kim, avoiding eye contact with Ron as he continued to eat like a pig. She leaned back as far as her chair would allow, desperate to get out of the range of splattering liquid cheese.

_He's acting like we're not even here!_

"Ron, look-" Kim started slowly as she twisted her thumbs nervously under the table.

"Save it, Kim. You already made it clear you don't want me on the team anymore," Ron interrupted coldly as he swallowed his large bite.

"No, that's not true! When did I even say that? I just-" Kim protested as she tried to start again.

"You lied to me! "Girl things" my ass!" Ron accused angrily, using his sleeve to wipe his stained mouth.

"It's not really a lie dumbass. We're both girls," Shego chirped smugly while Ron just ignored her.

"I'm sorry, Ron. Everything happened so fast, and I barely had time to process anything myself," Kim explained with a shake of her head.

"I called you so many times! You could've told me then!" Ron pointed out angrily.

"I know! But I-" Kim tried to reason but was interrupted again.

"You'd rather be with Shego over me!" Ron said as hurt flashed through his brown eyes.

"Oh my god, why are you putting words in my mouth? That's not what happened!" Kim protested.

"She's a criminal. A villain. Our arch-nemesis who's been trying to kill us for years!" Ron exclaimed, waving his arms around for emphasis. Rufus nodded vigorously, throwing air punches towards the pale thief with a growl.

"I'm right here you know! And I've never tried to kill Kim. Ever. You on the other hand-" Shego didn't finish but instead grinned with an evil gleam in her emerald eyes. Ron pointedly glared at her but said nothing.

"I'm so sorry. I should've told you," Kim said quietly as she clenched her bandaged hands into tight fists.

"Why didn't you? Why did you have to keep this a secret from me?" Ron asked irately, his brown eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

"I thought you'd freak out and turn Shego in to Global Justice!" Kim answered as Shego watched the scene unfold with amusement.

"And why shouldn't I? She's a wanted criminal, Kim. It's our job as heroes to turn in the bad guys!" Ron pointed out vexedly.

"No, Ron. We are _not _turning her in," Kim stated firmly. Shego quirked an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest as she studied the redhead next to her.

"What happened to you? You spend one day with Shego, and you're already becoming like her!" Ron growled as he looked back and forth between the two girls. Shego began to get increasingly interested in the argument, and she could feel her blood begin to boil.

"I'm not a villain or a criminal! I'm still the exact same Kim you've known your whole life," Kim said with wide eyes.

"Actually, you're kind of a criminal now that you're associating with me," Shego informed her, still watching the argument like a movie scene.

"The Kim I knew didn't associate with criminals and keep secrets from me," Ron said icily. Rufus was standing off to the side, looking helplessly between the two fighting teens.

"I was going to tell you!" Kim insisted pleadingly.

"Obviously not any time soon. I thought best friends told each other these kinds of things," Ron said with a low growl.

"I swear, I was going to tell you when the time was right! It's only been one day, you couldn't have waited?!" Kim exclaimed.

"You had the whole day to tell me. But when I asked, you lied," Ron accused.

"Honestly I don't understand why you're getting so mad over this. You're my best friend!" Kim sighed in frustration.

_Why is Ron being so difficult? I don't need to tell him the things I don't want to!_

"Am I really?" Ron asked as he looked away with a huff.

"Of course you are," Kim replied with a small frown.

"I'm starting to doubt that," Ron spat coldly.

_Ouch._

Kim rested her head in her hands and let strands of wild red hair conceal parts of her face. Shego regarded the frustrated teen hero thoughtfully before fixing Ron with a piercing glare. Her amused expression quickly transformed into a deep, menacing frown that could kill anyone's good day.

"What the _hell _is wrong with you?" Shego snarled as she leaned forward.

"What?" Ron snapped as he stared back at the villainess. When noticing her blood-curdling expression, however, his confidence wavered as he felt his stare weaken.

"You're her best friend right?" Shego asked as she nodded at a sulking Kim.

"I guess," Ron mumbled angrily.

"You _guess_?" Shego bared her teeth, her eyes still locked in an intense glare.

"Ok yeah, Kim will always be my best friend," Ron admitted with a huff.

"Then comfort her you idiotic buffoon! Her entire world crumbled to dust in a day, and news flash, every villain is trying to capture and kill her!" Shego barked loudly, not caring about her volume since the restaurant was still empty. The single employee was glued to his phone and hadn't bothered even looking up at the argument.

"I-" Ron blinked but Shego quickly stopped him.

"And here you are, whining your pathetic ass off because Kimmie was too busy trying not to fucking _die_ to include you in this _one _thing. It's only been a _DAY_! You can't go without her attention for _one day_? She's trying to explain everything to you now, but you won't even let her speak! Are you seriously that oblivious to not see how hard this is for her already without you making things worse? Or are you just an inconsiderate asshole who doesn't give a shit about what she thinks?" Shego was now towering over Ron, her long raven hair falling down the sides of her face.

Her pale face was contorted with menace and fury, and she was fighting to keep her hands from engulfing with raging plasma. Kim only stared in shock with her mouth slightly agape as Shego finished her furious rant.

Ron blinked rapidly and now had his hands covering his face thinking Shego would attack him right then and there. Rufus has jumped back into Ron's pants pocket, trying to hide from the villainess's wrath.

"I- I didn't know that," Ron stammered as shame coursed through his body.

"Apologize!" Shego demanded through grit teeth.

"KP, I'm sorry about everything I said earlier. I do care about you, but I wasn't even trying to look at things from your perspective," Ron apologized wholeheartedly as he cowered away from the fuming villainess. Hoping she was satisfied with his apology, Ron peeked his head out from behind his Nacho cheese-covered arms.

Shego only snorted and sat back down, raising an eyebrow when she saw Kim staring at her with a slack jaw.

_I can't believe Shego stood up for me. Or maybe she just really wanted to chew Ron out._

"It's ok, Ron, I should have told you sooner. Is it alright if we explain the sitch now?" Kim asked with a swift glance at Shego, who just shrugged in return.

_I'm guessing it's ok to tell him everything then. _

"Of course. What's the sitch?" Ron asked with a small smile. Rufus had poked his head out of the safety of his pocket, looking at the two girls curiously.

Taking a deep breath, Kim spilled all the events that happened Friday night and yesterday onto an overwhelmed Ron. Shego mostly let Kim do that talking, occasionally interrupting with a sarcastic remark or mocking comment towards the teen. Kim kept the information vague but informative, intentionally leaving out any personal experiences between her and Shego. She also informed him that Monique and Wade were already aware of the sitch, but her parents were not.

"Why can't our parents know anything?" Ron asked confusingly.

"How do you think they'd react with all of this? And do you seriously think they'd be ok with us hanging around Shego?" Kim retorted.

"Ok I get your point," Ron nodded.

"Oh, and DNAmy knows where I live. I think she's planning on attacking or something," Shego added casually when Kim was finished with the rest of her explanation.

"Wait, _what_?! How do you know?" Kim asked in shock.

"I found a Cuddle Buddy on my bed last night, and it's definitely not mine," Shego shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal.

"Why didn't you tell me?!" Kim questioned with a frown.

"Slipped my mind maybe," Shego said disinterestedly as she shrugged again.

"Well, if you're positive it's from her, why didn't we just leave the apartment?" Kim asked quizzically, ignoring Ron's confused looks as he watched the argument unfold.

"That's the point. I'm not positive, and there's no way to confirm it. It could be a whole different villain for all we know. And we're not going to fucking run away like pussies! If someone tries to attack us, I'll just beat the living crap out of them," Shego growled, her emerald eyes hardening.

"But-" Kim started to protest.

"No. We're not leaving because I'm sick and tired of running away from the idiots that screwed me over. If they want a fight, I'll give them hell," Shego promised with conviction. The two bickering girls stared at each other for a few long seconds, daring the other to back down. Finally, Kim averted her olive eyes and shook her head as Shego smirked proudly.

"I have a bad feeling about this Shego. It's risky," Kim sighed defeatedly.

"Whatever. If she comes, I'll get my revenge. Just try not to die," Shego huffed.

_This is Shego's plan? I'll have to make her rethink things later._

Kim scoffed in response, but she turned back to Ron when he cleared his throat loudly.

"Uhm guys, did you want some food? I've got plenty to share," Ron asked awkwardly as he held out a dripping Naco, the taco sauce seeping through his fingers and intertwining with cheese.

Both girls reeled back sharply and pressed themselves against the back of the chairs, feeling repulsed.

"Uh no thanks, I already ate," Kim declined politely while her stomach turned at the sight.

"I don't even know how you consider that "food," Shego said with disgust written all over her face.

"The Naco is the most exquisite and extravagant combination of two of the most amazing forms of Mexican food there is," Ron scoffed with offense as he stuffed the Naco into his mouth, chewing loudly.

"That is the most exquisite and extravagant way I've ever seen someone eat below average Mexican food," Shego commented sarcastically in a mock prissy voice.

"I've seen dog food that looked more appetizing," Kim agreed.

"The growing fungus at the bottom of a trashcan probably has more flavor," Shego mused as she turned to look at Kim.

The two girls snickered together quietly while Ron looked confusingly at the sight. Why weren't they trying to rip each other's throats out like before?

"I don't know what's going on between you two, but let's kick all their sorry butts!" Ron cheered.

"What? Ron, it's too dangerous," Kim said seriously once Ron had swallowed his gigantic bite.

"Like he'd be any help at all," Shego said with a roll of her eyes.

"Ron always helped on my missions; you have no idea how many times he's saved the day! He's the best partner I could ever ask for," Kim hissed as she elbowed Shego roughly, who only rolled her eyes again in return.

"He's just going to get in the way and lose his pants in the process," Shego snorted with disdain. The girls kept up their heated argument with Ron watching helplessly on the sidelines.

"Guys," Ron started. When the girls didn't hear him or ignored him, he raised his voice. "Guys!" Ron exclaimed loudly.

"What?!" The two girls snapped simultaneously. Ron visibly flinched as if he'd been struck by a whip, and Rufus hid behind an uneaten Naco. Kim immediately softened when she heard her harsh tone and blinked apologetically.

"Sorry Ron, what is it?" Kim asked softly while Shego retained her heated glare.

"Oh I- Uhm, I'll always try to help in any way I can if you want it KP," Ron stammered out as he twirled his fingers nervously with a glance at Shego.

"No, we _don't_ want it. We don't need you messing things up," Shego growled coldly as she continued to stare right through the blonde boy's walls.

"I wasn't offering my assistance to _you_. I'm only asking for KP's opinion and if she, and _only _she, wants my help," Ron retorted. Shego narrowed her eyes and growled, starting to get up until Kim stopped her with a sharp glance.

"Ron, of course, I always want you with me, but you're going to get in trouble with Global Justice if you do. I don't want to drag you in on this mess," Kim stated with a smile, feeling better now that Ron wasn't angry anymore.

"Screw Global Justice, I'll be right by your side KP whether you like it or not!" Ron promised flatly.

"No, I don't want to get anyone else involved if I have the choice," Kim argued.

"You don't have a choice KP," Ron's face lit up in a bright smile, his anger from earlier vanished. Rufus scurried over to give Kim a tiny hug. The teen hero smiled at the rodent and picked him up gently, letting him hang out on her shoulder.

"Isn't having a rat on the table of a fast-food restaurant a very unsanitary health code violation?" Shego inquired as she glanced at Rufus.

"He's a naked mole-rat, and Rufus is very clean for your information," Ron informed tensely, not trying to hide his distaste and distrust for Shego.

"Whatever. I can't believe I'm teaming up with a boy who carries a rat around everywhere with him," Shego shook her head disbelievingly.

"He's a _naked mole-rat._ And don't insult Rufus!" Ron said as Kim handed an offended Rufus back to him.

"I wasn't insulting the rodent," Shego smirked as she looked pointedly at Ron.

"Shego, lay off him," Kim snapped tiredly.

"It's not my fault he's so easy to make fun of," Shego shrugged as she ignored the outraged squawk from Ron.

"There're other things to worry about. If Ron is going to be helping on this "mission," he can't stay at home," Kim said slowly, mentally preparing her puppy dog pout as a last resort.

The teen hero looked at Shego sideways as the realization started to settle in the villainess's emerald eyes.

"Oh hell no! Hell to the no! There's no goddamn way that I'm going to be housing the buffoon!" Shego yelled angrily, knowing what Kim was implying.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed with an offended look. Kim quickly gestured for him to calm down and that she'd handle the raging villainess.

"His name is _Ron. _And he's going to need a place to sleep. He can't stay at home because my parents, as well as his, will get suspicious," Kim reasoned.

"I heard there's vacancy on the streets or in the sewers, or maybe a cozy alleyway if he's lucky. No rent needed," Shego snickered nefariously.

"Shego, you let me stay at your place," Kim pointed out in a calm voice.

"You're different than him!" Shego snapped as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"How so?" Kim asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Well for one, you're a girl, and you can take care of yourself. And two, I don't want to waste my money on caring and feeding an overgrown baby!" Shego snarled irritatingly. Kim sat back and thought about that for a moment, tapping a finger on her chin rhythmically.

"How about this? I'll pay for all of the groceries while Ron and I stay with you, and he can cook all of our meals," Kim suggested.

"I am _not_ eating anything that he cooks. I actually care about my health!" Shego sneered as she made a mocking gag.

"Ron's an excellent cook, Shego. He's planning on going to culinary school after we graduate," Kim informed proudly as Ron grinned sheepishly.

"Still a hard no," Shego stated firmly.

"I'll also pay for some new clothes so I don't have to keep borrowing yours," Kim offered with a small pout.

"Don't waste the little money you have on something baggy and drab. Buy something skin-tight," Shego's suggestion almost sounded like a command.

_Our lives are possibly at stake and she's criticizing my fashion choices. Unbelievable._

"If that's seriously what it's going to take to let Ron stay at your place, then fine," Kim agreed begrudgingly as she rubbed her temples with two fingers.

"Ok, deal," Shego nodded as Kim thanked her.

"Thank you, KP" Ron said with a swift glance at Shego.

"No "thank you" for me? I'm the one letting you mess up my apartment!" Shego glowered crossly as the blonde boy winced from her terrifying look.

"Thanks, Shego," Ron grumbled reluctantly.

"Shego, you can go back to the car. Ron needs to clean up before he gets your stuff dirty. I'll stay with him," Kim said casually. The pale villainess understood the hint and floated out the door, leaving the two teens alone in the booth.

Once Shego had disappeared through the doors, Kim turned to Ron with a confused expression.

"Ron, what's all this about?" Kim asked softly with a second glimpse at the door to make sure the villainess was gone.

"What?" Ron inquired with a frown.

"Why were you so upset? It's not like you to behave like this, especially considering you've never gotten this mad before when I didn't tell you something," Kim explained.

"I was just worried about you, that's all," Ron said as he turned away from Kim's gaze. The redhead stared at him disbelievingly and felt her creasing frown deepen.

"I know you better than that. What were you worried about?" Kim pressed as she leaned forward, willing Ron to tell her what was bothering him.

"That you were going to replace me with Shego," Ron admitted quietly as Kim stifled a laugh.

"Seriously? Why would you think of something like that?" Kim asked amusingly.

"Shego's right, you know. I do get in the way in your missions, or I just make things worse. And I've seen you fight with her; she's the only person who you enjoy fighting and who can match up to your skills," Ron explained almost sadly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kim raised an eyebrow, feeling more perplexed.

"When you ran off with her, I thought you'd rather be doing stuff with her than me," Ron said as Rufus patted his arm comfortingly.

Kim stared at him with her jaw slightly agape, before bursting out into hysterical laughter. Ron looked up sharply as confusion clouded his gaze.

"That's what you were worried about? Shego and I can barely have a civilized conversation without wanting to pull each other's hair out!" Kim laughed.

"Then why are you helping her?" Ron questioned.

"The villains are after the both of us. It's better to work together and be allies if we're going to find out what's going on," Kim replied before pausing, her expression turning solemn. "And besides, I hurt her once… I don't want to see her hurt again," she admitted with a sigh. Her sparkling olive eyes flashed with guilt momentarily before she blinked to clear her jumbled thoughts.

"I get it, KP, you don't have to talk about the incident. But, can we actually trust her?" Ron asked, the skepticism clear in his voice.

"Honestly? I don't know. But right now, it looks like we have to try," Kim answered with a tiny smile that Ron returned.

"I trust your judgment, Kim. And I know I said this earlier, but I'm sorry for being an asshole for no reason," Ron apologized again as he stood up and pocketed Rufus.

"You had a very valid reason, but I forgive you anyway," Kim smiled softly as she stood up and embraced the boy in a tight hug.

"So, that means I'm not getting replaced right?" Ron asked with a grin as he returned the embrace, patting her back lightly. She winced from the pressure on her bruised ribs and signaled for Ron to loosen his grip.

"Ha! Of course, you aren't, and you never will! I'll never join villainy with Shego, and she'll never join heroism with me. You have nothing to worry about," Kim confirmed with a nod as she let go.

Ron smiled with his usual goofy expression, and Kim felt another weight being lifted off her shoulders. The two teens quickly cleaned up the best they could in the Beuno Nacho's bathrooms before heading back out to Shego's waiting car.

* * *

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	16. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Aww Shego's warming up to Kim by making fun of her. Also, let's just assume Kim grabbed her wallet when she escaped her house with Shego

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 15_

The drive back to Shego's apartment was rather uneventful with no conversations erupting between the tense trio. They stopped by Smarty Mart for Ron to buy some personal hygiene items and groceries, with Shego and Kim waiting in the car.

Sunlight poured through the open windows of the convertible, causing Shego's emerald eyes to glimmer fiercely. Kim has to look at the pale villainess sideways since the light was almost blinding. The parking lot was moderately packed with people pushing overflowing carts or dragging heavy bags of goods to their vehicles. No one really paid a second glance to Shego's sparkling lime green car, much less observe the people sitting in it.

"You know, you could be a little nicer to Ron. Or maybe start calling him by his name for starters," Kim said casually as she gazed out her window, watching people hurry about their day.

"And Drakken could finally succeed in one of his idiotic schemes. It's never going to happen," Shego retorted as she leaned back in the driver's seat.

"Could you at least try?" Kim asked exasperatedly.

"Pumpkin, I don't think I'm capable of even comprehending that," Shego sneered as she turned her head to look at Kim evenly.

"You're hopeless," Kim sighed with a small shake of her head.

"Hopelessly sexy, I agree," Shego smirked suggestively.

The teen hero only scoffed and rolled her olive eyes in response, resting her chin in the palm of her bandaged hand. Kim thought about the events earlier at Beuno Nacho, and she silently smiled at herself from knowing her best friend still had her back.

_Thank god I cleared things up with Ron. It'll be nice to have my partner with me for this complicated sitch that we barely know anything about._

As Ron came stumbling into view, Kim gestured for Shego to unlock the car doors for him.

"Phew! These bags are super heavy!" Ron exclaimed as he tumbled into the backseat, tossing his purchased items onto the empty seat next to him. His red fingers were lined with deep indentations and creases from where he was holding the multiple handles of the stuffed plastic bags, and his forehead glistened with beads of dripping sweat.

"Or maybe you're just pathetically weak," Shego commented dryly as she drove out of the Smarty Mart parking lot.

"That's a lot of stuff! What did you buy in there Ron?" Kim asked, ignoring Shego's insult.

_Is there anything Ron does that Shego can't make fun of?_

"Some clothes, hygiene stuff, and a butt-ton of groceries. They had a sale on canned nacho cheese!" Ron cheered as Rufus leaped out of his pocket, chittering happily.

"That shit better not be going in my body," Shego growled, her eyes still trained on the road.

"I won't be saving any of this liquid gold for you, don't worry. Although, since I am cooking all of your meals, I do technically get to control what goes in your body," Ron pointed out with a thoughtful expression.

Shego glanced at him dangerously from the rearview mirror, grinning like the cat who ate the canary when an idea came to mind.

"We need to stop for some gas," Shego stated evenly, spotting a gas station a block away.

Kim twisted in her seat, craning her head to curiously glimpse at the fuel gauge. Seeing it was next to full, she frowned in confusion and looked at Shego quizzically. The villainess promptly ignored her questioning gaze and continued to grin at herself.

_What is she planning?_

"Hey, buffoon, do you mind pumping the gas for us? I can't go out there since there're too many people," Shego's voice sounded disturbingly polite as she pulled into the rather empty gas station.

"Uh, sure," Ron shrugged as he hopped out the car with a small frown.

Shego waited patiently until he closed the door, before immediately starting the engine and swerving out of the gas station with ease. Her convertible flashed down the road like a streak of neon green lighting, leaving a stunned Ron behind.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Kim yelled crossly as Ron quickly faded from view.

"Removing a big liability off our hands," Shego smirked as she continued down the road.

"Go back and get Ron, damnit Shego!" Kim demanded loudly, clutching the edges of her seat tightly to keep from grabbing the wheel and turning the car around herself.

"I'd like to see you try and make me, Kimmie," Shego sneered with a daring wink.

"He just paid for your food!" Kim cried incredulously.

"And I just granted him the freedom to become a future gas station attendant," Shego replied wryly.

_It hasn't even been 2 hours yet, and she's already trying to ditch Ron!_

After a minute of heated arguing, Shego reluctantly went back for a very vexed Ron and Rufus. They sat in the backseat with a huff and refused to even acknowledge the pale thief's existence, much to Kim's irritation. After a seemingly long drive of painfully thick tension and awkwardness, they arrived at Shego's apartment complex. Kim helped Ron carry a few bags with Rufus plopped on her shoulder, looking at the large building in awe.

The pale villainess led them through the backdoor, holding it open for Kim with a nefarious grin. As soon as the redhead passed through, she promptly let the door slam into Ron's face. The blonde boy rubbed the new, large red mark on his forehead before begrudgingly following Kim up the flights of stairs.

"How come you're not limping anymore?" Kim asked with confusion as she watched Shego's confident and strong steps.

"I heal fast," Shego said nonchalantly with a shrug. Noticing Kim's disbelieving look, she sighed reluctantly in defeat. "Ok, and Advil helps a lot," Shego grumbled low enough so that Ron couldn't hear.

They passed a tenant on the phone who glanced nervously at Shego before scurrying away quickly in the opposite direction.

"See, Princess? The people here love me!" Shego boasted as she watched the tenant disappear down the stairs like a fleeing rabbit. Kim only snorted but glimpsed over her shoulder to check on Ron.

"Why… aren't we… taking… an elevator?" Ron managed to ask between large uneven gulps of air, his bags practically grazing each step.

"Because the elevators are always crowded and you have to go through the main entrance to get to them," Shego snapped.

The trio finally made it up to the 6th floor, with Ron gasping for air as if he was heaving a ton of bricks. He was still a flight of stairs below the girls, and they waited for over two minutes for him to meet them at the top. Dragging himself up the last few steps, he leaned almost his entire weight on the thin railing. Not waiting for him to catch his breath, Shego briskly whirled around and headed down the empty hallway.

Kim stayed back to help Ron up, offering to carry a few more of his bags the rest of the way. He gratefully accepted the offer as Kim scooped up his other items, feeling the bandages start to slip off on her knuckles.

_Shego and I are going to need to rewrap and clean our wounds again._

With heavier, labored steps, Kim led Ron down the hallway and stopped in front of apartment _666._ Ron studied the gold number plate and snorted when he saw the number, Kim shrugging in response to his questioning gaze. She cracked open the door slowly to see it was unlocked, walking inside before abruptly stopping in her tracks.

"Take off your shoes, Shego's a neat freak," Kim ordered as she slipped her shoes off and watched Ron do the same.

"A green and black theme. Looks cozy for a villain," Ron commented dryly as he scanned the spotless apartment. Noticing the gigantic charred hole in the wall near the entrance, he opened his mouth but promptly closed it when Kim shook her head vigorously.

Shego was rummaging through her cabinets gathering medical supplies with seemingly the same idea as Kim's.

"Lock the door. Put the food in the kitchen. Put your shit on the floor near the couch," Shego ordered, her back still facing the teens. Gesturing for Kim to meet her on the couch, the redhead complied while Ron took all the bags from her hands and put away the various items.

Rubbing her sore hands with tender fingers, Kim plopped down next to Shego and ran a hand through her messy, red hair. The villainess tossed her some antiseptic wipes and fresh bandages, continuing to redress her own wounds with skilled hands. Kim unwrapped the soiled sheets of fabric around her knuckles, but she frowned when she saw Shego studying Ron intently.

"If you're going to stay here, you're going to do chores as well as cook," Shego demanded as the blonde boy scanned the apartment for a bathroom.

"Why doesn't Kim have to do anything?" Ron asked with a huff.

"Because she's injured, doy," Shego rolled her emerald eyes as she pointed Ron in the direction of her bathroom. Once he disappeared behind the door, grumbling the whole way, Kim whipped around to face the villainess.

"I'm not disabled! Don't pile everything on Ron, I can carry my own weight with him," Kim hissed angrily.

"I just saved you a whole lot of work, but whatever floats your boat, Princess," Shego rolled her eyes and strode into her bedroom.

After a few seconds, she came back out holding a thin, black laptop and something small and ashy gray. She plopped down next to Kim on the couch and turned on the laptop, turning the screen away momentarily to type in her password.

"Pick out some clothes you like, and I'll order them," Shego said as she typed in a few things and handed the laptop to Kim.

"Spankin', when do you want me to pay you?" Kim asked as she reached for her wallet in her back pocket.

"Keep the little money you're scrapping together for college. I don't want it," Shego brushed her off with a wave of her pale hand.

"But we had a deal," Kim frowned.

"Do I look like the type of person to follow rules?" Shego asked with a quirked eyebrow. Kim only smiled in response and thanked the villainess, who waved it off as if it wasn't a big deal.

As the redhead searched the online clothing store, Shego picked up the black object and inspected it with narrowed emerald eyes.

"This is the Cuddle Buddy I found last night on my bed. I accidentally set it on fire," Shego grinned with a smirk, letting Kim examine the burnt stuffed animal.

"Shego, I think we should rethink things," Kim started slowly, still turning the Cuddle Buddy around in her newly bandaged hands.

"How so?" Shego asked.

"It's risky staying here if someone knows where you live. This Cuddle Buddy might be a sign. Or a warning," Kim said with a frown.

"Oh, it's definitely a warning. Probably from DNAmy too," Shego said almost perkily, feeling bored.

"Then why aren't we running?" Kim asked quizzically.

"Think about it, Kimmie. If we keep running away from the villains, we'll never find out what's going on or what they want," Shego reasoned.

"But we're basically sitting ducks waiting for something to happen," Kim argued.

"If we were to run away like chickens, where would we even hide? We might be putting more people in danger if we go somewhere else," Shego pointed out.

"You're right, but we're both injured," Kim protested.

"You and I know that these "injuries" are barely anything. We have to confront them eventually, it's going to happen sooner or later," Shego shrugged nonchalantly then paused. "I'm done hiding from my problems," Shego added firmly, looking Kim dead in the eye.

_Is that what she's referring to from the last 3 months? Hiding from confronting me?_

The teen hero held her stare for a second longer before sighing deeply, looking at the burnt Cuddle Buddy resting lifelessly in her hands. It's beady, black eyes stared back at her blankly, and Kim felt like it was leering straight into her soul.

"I don't like it, but I guess you're right," Kim nodded reluctantly.

"I know I am," Shego boasted with a teasing twinkle in her eyes.

Kim snorted and turned back to the computer screen, scanning through the various tops and leggings Shego had recommended.

_Tight, revealing clothes. Great._

"Won't it be fun, though? To be fighting the villains just like old times?" Shego asked after a while.

"I guess, but I only really looked forward to fighting you before," Kim admitted with a shy smile.

"Likewise," Shego said, returning the tiny smile. After a moment, she shook out of her soft expression. "Uh- we should think of a plan if something happens," Shego grunted, returning to her usual slightly irked self.

"What? Oh yeah, like a trap maybe," Kim blinked out the daze she didn't know she was in.

_Huh. I didn't know Shego enjoyed fighting me as much as I did with her._

Before Shego could respond, Ron stumbled out of the bathroom.

"Ron! Come here and help us plan things out," Kim called as soon as he was finished. Shego shot her a sharp look, and the teen hero only shrugged. "He's going to need to know what's going on," Kim pointed out while Shego grumbled something inaudible.

When Ron sat next to Kim, she passed the burnt Cuddle Buddy over to him.

"We think it's a warning from DNAmy," Kim explained as he peered at the stuffed animal.

"Why is it charred and smell like burnt barbecue?" Ron asked confusingly.

"Because I set it on fire. Just like how I'll set your sorry ass on fire if you get on my nerves," Shego snapped, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Shego, calm down. He was just asking a question," Kim sighed as the villainess looked away in a huff.

The trio began to discuss plans and escape routes with Shego mostly ignoring Ron's wacky suggestions. After what felt like hours of spitballing ideas, Kim's stomach growled angrily. Shego snorted while the redhead grinned sheepishly at Ron, who just laughed in return.

"I'll make some dinner. How does pasta sound?" Ron asked as he got up and strolled into the kitchen.

"Spankin'! Thanks, Ron!" Kim cheered as Rufus pumped his tiny fists from the coffee table he was perched on.

"Make it quick, I'm starving," Shego grunted as she leaned back on the couch, switching on her TV.

She flipped through the various channels disinterestedly while Kim checked her Kimmunicator for missed calls.

_I feel terrible for ignoring my parents, but for now, I can't risk telling them._

The teen hero gazed out the large crystal windows, watching the sun slowly sink below the horizon. It's bright rays slowly faded behind a wall of darkness, and the sky was painted with hues of golden orange against a lilac canvas. Shego had settled on a sports channel and turned to watch the sunset with Kim. No words were spoken between the two girls, but the silence was comfortable and surprisingly solacing.

A piercing shriek from Ron interrupted their jumbled thoughts, and the two girls dashed to the kitchen to see what was wrong. Drawers and cabinets were wide open, revealing various ingredients and utensils. Ron was standing near the countertops, holding a small object away from his body like it might attack him. Kim narrowed her eyes in confusion at the thing Ron was terrified of, noticing it was a stuffed animal.

"It's another Cuddle Buddy from DNAmy!" Ron yowled as Shego walked in from behind Kim.

As soon as she saw the stuffed animal Ron was holding, her emerald flashed with panic. She stepped around Kim smoothly and, with newfound superhuman speed, snatched it out of his trembling hands.

"No, it's not!" Shego said hastily, hiding the stuffed animal against her chest as she briskly tried to escape.

Kim saw her desperation and quickly blocked the exit, plucking the stuffed animal from Shego's hands. Like a thief who just robbed a bank, she sprinted to the living room with a playful grin.

"Get back here so I can roast your ass properly!" Shego howled with fury as she gave chase.

The redhead positioned herself so that the couch sat between her and a frantic Shego, who was trying to grab the toy from her arms.

Swiftly inspecting the Cuddle Buddy, Kim saw that it was a Liger, a lion and tiger hybrid. It looked old and worn out like it hadn't been touched in years. Loose threads popped out of random places, and stuffing was poking out from the small tears. The fluffy mane around its neck was ruffled and frizzy, and its black stripes looked gray and faded.

"Is this yours?" Kim asked amusingly as she dodged Shego's flailing arms.

"Yes, ok fine! Give it back now you little imp!" Shego snarled as Kim laughed at her confession.

Taking advantage of Kim's distracted laughter, Shego yanked the aged Cuddle Buddy from her and cradled it gently against her chest. Ron had emerged from the kitchen to watch the scene and was doubling over with laughter at the sight, Rufus cackling on his shoulder.

"Big Bad Shego has a cute little Cuddle Buddy?" Ron asked as he pointed at the toy teasingly.

"You're nothing but a big softie," Kim laughed, her olive eyes sparkling with mirth.

"I'm _not_ soft!" Shego protested vexedly as a light green spread across her cheeks, her form of blush. The two teens only laughed harder while the villainess felt her blood begin to boil. With a frustrated growl, Shego stomped off to her bedroom and slammed the door.

Kim looked up sharply at the loud bang and felt the smile fade from her face.

"Ron, I think you should go back to making dinner," Kim suggested.

"Can you believe it KP? Shego with a stuffed animal?" Ron kept laughing, oblivious to the hint Kim was dropping.

"I admit, it's absolutely hilarious," Kim couldn't hold back a giggle. "I'll go see if she's ok," she said finally after a few more chuckles.

"Why does it matter?" Ron asked.

"Well, we wouldn't want our host that can hurl green plasma to be pissed at us for too long," Kim joked dryly.

The blonde boy looked at her with perplexed brown eyes but trudged back into the kitchen anyway. Kim waited until he disappeared before creeping like a stalking cat towards Shego's closed bedroom. She hesitated for a moment before knocking quietly, her bandaged knuckles gently brushing the door.

"What?" Shego's annoyed voice sounded from the other side.

"Can I come in please?" Kim asked softly.

"No, go away," Shego replied tersely.

"Ron isn't with me," Kim leaned against the door.

"I don't care," Shego said.

"I'm not leaving until you let me in," Kim informed stubbornly.

"Oh my god, fine," Shego sighed with irritation when she didn't hear the teen leave after a while.

Kim turned the doorknob and stepped into the dimly lit room, closing the door behind her quickly. The sun had almost been engulfed entirely by the growing layers of indigo clouds. Streaks of desperate light pink rays shot out from below the horizon, illuminating Shego's bedroom with a soft glow. The pale villainess was sitting on the edge of her bed, staring blankly at the stuffed Liger in her hands. Her long, raven hair hung loosely down her shoulders, concealing parts of her face. She hadn't looked up when Kim arrived and continued to gaze at the worn-out Cuddle Buddy with hollow emerald eyes.

Shuffling her feet nervously for a few seconds, Kim forced her legs to walk towards the pale thief. She sat down tentatively next to Shego and scooted over so they were only inches apart.

"Come back to make fun of me some more, eh Pumpkin?" Shego asked with distaste.

"Of course not. I was only teasing, you know, I'm sorry if it made you upset," Kim apologized.

"It didn't," Shego huffed as she turned away.

"Where did you get this little guy?" Kim wondered peering curiously at the small stuffed animal in the pale thief's lap.

"My dumb brothers gave it to me when I was a kid," Shego responded vexedly.

"Hey, if it makes you feel better, I have a ton of Cuddle Buddies at home," Kim joked, nudging the villainess gently with an elbow.

"So? Owning toys at 18 fits perfectly with your personality," Shego smirked, her frown lightening slightly and her eyes brightening.

"They're not toys, they're collectible items," Kim retorted with mock anger, placing a hand against her chest offendedly.

"Collectible items that children under the age of 2 play with," Shego sneered.

"Are you implying that I'm a child?" Kim gasped with wide olive eyes filled with amusement.

"Of course not, Princess. I'm flat out saying you're a child," Shego teased, poking the teen's chest with a finger.

"You wound me, Shego," Kim feigned a choking sob as she wiped away imaginary tears.

"I do try my best," Shego chirped with a daring grin as Kim laughed.

_Ah yes, making fun of me is a sure-fire way to make Shego feel better. I'm a genius._

The two girls continued their back and forth banter, occasionally shoving each other playfully. When Ron called them out for dinner, he was surprised to see that Shego was in a disturbingly pleasant mood. The pale villainess didn't complain when Rufus ate at the table with them, and she even complimented his shrimp scampi after they had finished. Ron and Kim did the dishes while Shego watched TV for a bit, staying alert for any signs of danger. The trio showered and slipped on some pajamas, preparing for bed.

Shego had given Ron an extra pillow and blanket to sleep on the floor next to the couch. Tossing a pillow to Kim, she looked out the windows with darting eyes before closing the curtains and killing the lights, leaving the dimly lit lamp resting on the coffee table. Disappearing behind her bedroom door, Kim and Ron laid on their backs and stared at the ceiling aimlessly.

"What kind of witchcraft did you use to get Shego to calm down like that?" Ron wondered quietly from his space on the floor.

"I didn't really do anything special, to be honest," Kim shrugged even though Ron couldn't see.

_All we did was joke around and shove and poke each other around like kids. It was kinda embarrassing for two adults._

"Well, whatever you did, please keep doing it. I swear I saw Shego's face almost look close to a smile," Ron whispered in awe.

_I don't think I should tell him that Shego occasionally half-smiles at me. _

"Ron?" Kim whispered after a few seconds had passed.

"Yeah?" Ron asked.

"Thank you," Kim said as she fumbled with the sleeves of her pajamas.

"For what?" Ron inquired quizzically.

"For being here with me. You didn't have to, but yet here you are, even though I haven't been fair to you these last three months. I pushed away you and Monique when you guys tried to help, and I'm sorry," Kim sighed sadly.

"Kim, don't apologize. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now, and you have no idea how happy I am that you're healing. I'll always be your best friend, and I'm going to kick bad guy ass whether you like it or not," Ron stated as he reached up to touch Kim's arm gently.

"And I'm going to keep thanking you whether you like it or not," Kim laughed softly, placing Ron's hand back on Rufus.

_He's such a great guy. I know there's a girl out there waiting to love him in ways I couldn't._

Darkness washed over the teen hero's vision as she felt her eyes close, mentally preparing herself for the nightmares that always came.

"Goodnight Ron," Kim said softly before she slipped into a turbulent sleep.

"Goodnight Kim," Ron breathed, letting his drowsiness overwhelm him as Rufus snored peacefully on his chest.

* * *

**Please review!**

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	17. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Fixed some of the character flaws in earlier chapters!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 16_

Kim jolted awake from her nightmarish sleep from a hand roughly shaking her shoulder. She groaned as her bruised ribs struck the couch's armrest, and her glazed olive eyes fluttered open to meet shining emeralds.

Early morning light seeped through the sparkling glass windows, washing the apartment with a golden glow. Shego's pale face hovered over hers, and before Kim could ask what was going on, the villainess held a finger to her mouth hurriedly. She shook her head vigorously, and her long midnight hair swayed lazily over Kim's face, barely brushing her cheeks. Their position earned a faint blush from the teen hero as she glanced at Shego's very close excited face.

_What a nice sight to wake up to -wait, what?_

Understanding the signal to keep quiet, Kim looked up at Shego quizzically with a raised eyebrow. The already dressed pale thief gestured at the sprawled out dozing form of Ron beneath the couch, and the redhead rubbed her dilating eyes tiredly. Her sleepy mind tried to process what was going on as Shego crept with the stealth of a stalking predator towards her prey. Ron continued to snore loudly, his blanket tangled between his legs.

_What is she doing?_

With a swift grin at Kim, Shego bent down so that her hot breath was on Ron's ear, and she inhaled sharply.

"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK, WAKE UP STOPABBLE!" Shego roared before Kim could stop her.

Ron immediately shrieked in shock and leaped to his feet, striking a kung fu pose on one foot. Rufus squealed and jumped up, mimicking the blonde boy's stance.

"W-what huh?! What is it?! Is it monkeys? Please tell me it isn't monkeys!" Ron screamed in terror and looked around frantically, trying to rapidly blink the sleep from his wide, alert brown eyes.

"Monkeys?!" Rufus squeaked with apprehension as he hid behind Ron's leg.

Ron felt confusion cloud his terrified gaze as he heard rambunctious laughter coming from the couch. Shego was laying on the couch doubling over laughing next to a very angry upright Kim. The villainess was clutching her stomach as she gasped for air, tears forming around her closed eyes.

"Shego! That wasn't funny!" Kim scolded with a heated glare, stifling a frustrated growl that threatened to escape her lips. "Ron, are you ok?" she asked worriedly, her expression immediately softening.

Ron only continued to stare in shock, feeling the realization that he'd been pranked started to settle in.

"Oh come on, Princess! You've got to admit that was hilarious!" Shego laughed as she nudged Kim gently, knowing her ribs were still tender.

_Damn it! I should be furious right now, but Shego's rubbing off on me._

"Shego, _don't_ do that again! Stop picking on him for crying out loud! I'm so sorry Ron, you can go back to sleep," Kim sighed tiredly. Against her will, she felt the corners of her mouth curl into a tiny grin, her eyes brightening in the pale light.

Shego mimicked Ron's high-pitched scream while Kim yelled for her to stop halfheartedly.

_I swear I'll make it up to Ron later. That was so not the drama._

"KP, whose side are you on?!" Ron squawked in outrage as Shego continued to mock him, much to Kim's exasperation and amusement. It was conflicting, but Shego's bad influence was too strong.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I'm on yours, I- uh- was just _surprised_ that your voice could get that high," Kim wheezed as Shego snickered, mirth glinting in her green eyes. Seeing Ron wasn't angry or upset, but close to laughing with them, Kim started to smile.

_You're supposed to be angry! Be angrier! Damn it Shego and your bad influence!_

"I swear, I'll get you two back for this. You just declared a prank w_ar_," Ron promised teasingly, feeling his expression lighten when he saw Kim smiling hesitantly, with Shego of all people. Even if the wakeup call was loud and unexpected, he loved a good prank and silently swore to pull a better one on Shego. Rufus was still chittering furiously on the coffee table, squeaking profanities that Kim wondered where he picked up from.

"We'll be ready when you do," Shego snorted with an amusing gleam in her eyes. She held up a pale hand and Kim instinctively high-fived it, feeling very awake and energized now.

_Wait, what am I doing? I'm on Ron's side!_

Feeling a wave of guilt and a hint of shame, Kim swiftly leaped to her feet and rushed to tackle her best friend an apologetic hug. Her tender ribs throbbed from the forceful impact, but the teen pushed away the wave of pain.

"I'm so sorry Ron, I couldn't help it and you know how Shego is. Annoyingly intolerable as always; I'll talk to her later to stop her from bothering you," Kim promised, wrapping her arms around the boy tenderly.

"You don't have to apologize for laughing, KP! I can see how it was pretty funny, I'm a natural comedian," Ron laughed, patting her back to let her know that he found it amusing and there were no hard feelings.

"That you are, but that doesn't mean I can't chew Shego out later," Kim shot a harsh look at the villainess, who only grinned nefariously.

"And that doesn't mean I can't prank her back later," Ron cackled maniacally, rubbing his hands together as he formulated a plan.

"How about Beuno Nacho when we have the time, all the Nacos you can eat? I'll pay, my treat," Kim flashed a knowing smile.

Ron chuckled and accepted the offer, but his expression immediately hardened when he passed by Shego on the way to the bathroom. He glared heatedly at her while the villainess batted her wide emerald eyes up at him innocently. With a scoff, he stomped off to the bathroom as Rufus curled up into a ball and went back to sleep on the couch.

"Wait, what day is it?" Kim asked suddenly.

"Monday, why?" Shego replied as she propped her feet up on the armrest.

"Ron and I have school!" Kim gasped as she frantically fumbled for her Kimmunicator, checking the time.

_7:58_. _I can totally make it there in two minutes!_

"I'm sure your school will understand that you won't be present since you're always gone on missions and shit," Shego said nonchalantly, flipping through the various channels on TV.

"But I'll have to make an excuse for why Ron and I didn't show up," Kim remembered, starting to panic slightly.

"Pumpkin, _relax._ A few absences won't hurt your perfect permanent record," Shego sighed tiredly.

"I guess," Kim grumbled as she sunk in her seat, crossing her arms over her chest in a huff.

_But ever since the incident, I haven't missed a class since I took a break from missions._

"Besides, don't we have other things to worry about?" Shego pointed out.

"Like what?" Kim asked, feeling her eyes cloud as the events of her nightmare replayed in her foggy mind.

_It's ok now. Shego is alive and next to you. She's ok, you're ok._

"Like figuring out the perfect ratio of flour to butter for my next lemon squares recipe," Shego replied sarcastically, her expression annoyed.

"Huh?" Kim snapped out of her daze and blinked at the pale thief.

"Like trying not to die, Kimmie," Shego said dryly.

"Right, that's kind of important," Kim nodded with a light laugh.

"No shit, Sherlock. Why were you so distracted all of a sudden?" Shego asked exasperatedly.

"Oh, just a bad dream I was remembering. It's no big," Kim said smoothly with a shrug.

Shego studied Kim with narrowed eyes disbelievingly, sensing that something was wrong with this "dream." She frowned as she suddenly recalled that at the teen's house, Kim had confessed to having nightmares often. The redhead was examining her Kimmunicator as if it were the most interesting thing ever, trying to avoid Shego's piercing gaze.

_Why is she staring at me?_

"You know, someone once told me that ogling should be more discreet," Kim quipped with a small smile, remembering what Shego told her yesterday.

"Very funny, Pumpkin," Shego chuckled with a shake of her head from Kim using her own joke against her.

"Shego, we're out of toilet paper," Ron informed as he emerged from the bathroom.

"Second drawer to the left under the sink," Shego replied, her expression already turning sour from hearing the blonde boy's voice.

"Are you sure I won't find any more embarrassing things in there if I look?" Ron asked, holding back a laugh.

_Will these two ever get along?_

"Why you little piece of-" Shego snarled as she stalked towards Ron with the speed of a pouncing cheetah. Winding up her arm, she threw a deliberately slowed and light punch at his chest. She expected him to dodge since the attack was so telegraphed, but he only gawked as her fist hit him square in the chest.

"Hey! KP, Shego hit me!" Ron whined accusingly even though it didn't really hurt.

"Shego, what the hell?! He didn't even do anything to you!" Kim felt like she was scolding two fighting children.

"I thought you'd dodge! Why the hell didn't you?" Shego asked incredulously as Kim walked up to the pair and checked to see if Ron was okay.

"Uhm- I didn't have time," Ron replied as Kim quirked an eyebrow.

"That punch was so slow that Drakken could've dodged it. And that's saying a lot," Shego sneered as she turned to Kim.

"Don't blame Ron when you hit him in the first place!" Kim snarled as she balanced on her tiptoes so she could look at Shego in the eye.

_Ok, so Ron's admittedly more out of shape than I am. We're so unprepared._

"You're in charge of training the buffoon," Shego ordered the redhead, who still looked at her with wild olive eyes.

"I know how to fight, Shego!" Ron protested with a scowl.

"Shego, I can't believe how many times I've been saying this but, his name is _Ron _not _buffoon._ And he knows how to fight well, he's fought and defeated villains all the time on missions!" Kim defended her friend, feeling her irritation rise steadily.

_Ron deserves more respect and credit than he's given. _

"I'm not having him get in the way of whatever the fuck this is," Shego growled.

Before the trio began ripping each other's throats out, Kim stepped in to diffuse the bloodbath.

"Shego lay off him already! He's not even bothering you! And it's ok Ron, I know you can, but we can still polish our skills together later. I'm pretty out of shape too," Kim admitted sheepishly, knowing her fighting was weaker from her time off from hero work.

"Ok sure, it's been a while since we trained anyway," Ron sighed as he traipsed into the kitchen to make breakfast, pointedly ignoring Shego's mocking expression.

Kim strolled into the bathroom to change and get ready, while Shego checked to see if the clothes she ordered for Kim yesterday had arrived yet. Her mailbox turned up empty so the teen hero borrowed a pair of black leggings and a light t-shirt.

During breakfast, the trio continued to pitch theories as to what the villains are up to, Shego informing them of everything she overheard back at Drakken's lair. They concluded that the Cuddle Buddy was definitely from DNAmy, and that's who they should keep their eyes open for. Kim had called Wade to check for any signs or news of the geneticist, but he turned up empty-handed, much to their disappointment. Since they were already on the phone, the petite redhead updated the computer genius on the Cuddle Buddy warning and Ron getting involved with them now.

_Everything's so confusing. I want to hide, but I want to confront it. I want to run, but I want to fight. It's nerve-wracking to know that we have no idea where DNAmy is, but she apparently knows where Shego lives._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim spent the next few hours training with Ron on the apartment complex roof. The chilly autumn breeze did little to help cool down the exhausted, sweaty teens as they sparred. Despite Ron knowing a variety of martial arts, he was naturally sluggish and clumsy which greatly affected his timing. Kim felt sore and weaker than she had before, partially from her minor injuries and partially from the fact she was admittedly a little unbalanced and rusty. Shego was off to the side, practicing precise moves and kata by herself while sporadically offering sarcastic commentary. Rufus had surprisingly stayed with Shego, joining her for some relaxing yoga when her injured leg got stiff. After a while, the villainess had left the roof, leaving the two teens to continue their intense first day of training.

"I want to make some pork cutlets for dinner later, but I don't think I have the right ingredients," Ron commented as they trudged back to Shego's apartment after a long day of exercising. The sun shone down on the two teens, illuminating their shiny bodies as beads of sweat-stained their clothes.

"Didn't you just stock up on food yesterday at Smarty Mart?" Kim asked amusingly.

"Exceptional gourmet dishes must have the freshest of ingredients," Ron declared with a finger pointed to the sky and puffing out his chest for emphasis, making Kim laugh.

"Wade told me earlier that Global Justice hasn't made their search for me public, so I'm not wanted right now by local police. It's so strange, but maybe GJ thinks Shego's got me on mind control or something. I should be able to stop by the store quickly and grab the things you need," Kim offered.

"How're you going to get there? I don't know if Shego's in the mood to be a chauffeur," Ron joked wryly.

"It's only a few blocks away, so I'll just jog since I can go out in public as long as I keep an eye out for GJ. I have enough money to pay for it too. And besides, I need the extra cardio," Kim replied with a light laugh.

Once they got back inside the apartment, she quickly cleaned up and informed a lounging Shego about where she was going. Ron gave her a long list of specific ingredients as she snatched her Kimmunicator and wallet, heading out the door hurriedly. The teen hero didn't bother to put on a jacket since she would be running to the grocery store, and she figured it'd make her overheat in the pale sun.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Got the goods!" Kim announced as she tiredly dragged the heavy bags behind her.

"Food!" Rufus chittered happily as he scurried to greet Kim and dig through the groceries.

"Thanks, KP!" Ron quickly took the bags from Kim's bandaged hands. Before she could respond, he dashed off to the kitchen, excited to start preparing the dish.

Kim shook her head with amusement and glanced at the small bag she was still holding.

"Hey," Kim greeted as she opened the sliding door that led to the balcony.

A cool breeze drifted through her wild, red mane, sending streaks of hair across her face. The air was crisp and clean but carried traces of warmth from the rays of light bouncing off the crystal panels of glass. Shego was laying on her back lazily on a lounge chair, in the exact position from before Kim had left. She donned a black sports bra and thin shorts, her emerald eyes covered by thick sunglasses.

"What?" Shego huffed, still staring at the sky.

"Here, I bought these for you," Kim presented a large bowl of freshly washed strawberries.

Lifting her dark shades and turning her head towards the teen, Shego's eyes glittered in surprise as she looked at the bright berries.

"Oh, thanks, Pumpkin," Shego's expression softened as she plucked a juicy strawberry from the bowl, popping it into her mouth with glee.

"It's the least I can do, considering how hospitable you've been to me and Ron," Kim shrugged with a small smile, placing the bowl on the table next to Shego's lounge chair.

"I don't think he would say I've been very hospitable," Shego smirked, biting into another berry and flinging the leafy green stem over the balcony.

"He'll warm up to you if you warm up to him," Kim assured with a light laugh.

"God, I hope not," Shego sighed as she rubbed her temples with two fingers, already feeling a headache forming from the thought.

"We're not dating anymore, but I still care for him like my brother. Can't you treat him the same way you've been treating me?" Kim asked with an eye roll.

"Of course, that sounds adorable. I'll automatically start liking him now," Shego sneered distastefully.

"Can you at least try and _not_ kill him while he's here? Please?" Kim almost begged.

"You have to give me credit for restraining myself," Shego said.

"Why are you being so difficult? He's a great guy who's always been there for me, why can't you see that?" Kim asked with more confusion than anger.

"I must be blind," Shego replied dryly.

"Treat him with more respect, Shego," Kim growled lowly through grit teeth and clenched fists.

"Whatever," Shego scoffed.

_This isn't going anywhere, I'll make it work later. Change the subject!_

"Why do you even bother sunbathing? You never get any tanner," Kim asked after a while, shuffling her feet awkwardly. Forcing her anger down, she took deep, labored breaths to clear her thoughts.

"Oh, I get tan Princess. You're just not open-minded enough to see how dark I'm getting," Shego scoffed with a playful wink.

"I'm open-minded!" Kim exclaimed mock offendedly.

"Says the girl who only wears a plain top with cargo pants every day," Shego retorted with a snicker.

Kim groaned and leaned over the balcony railing, gazing at the people milling about on the streets below. It felt oddly peaceful yet infuriating talking with Shego, and the teen hero stayed there until Ron called them in for dinner.

"Ok, we obviously need to determine the rules of this temporary "truce," Shego stated after they were finished eating.

"What rules?" Kim asked as she helped Ron clean up the dishes.

"There's only three. Number one: No digging through my personal stuff," Shego growled as Ron snickered under his breath, remembering the Cuddle Buddy.

"How is that even related to anything that's happening?" Kim asked with a tired sigh.

"Stuff it, Kimmie. Number two: You won't turn me into Global Justice the first chance you get," Shego said with a serious expression, the distrust clear in her voice.

"Not likely, but fine," Ron grumbled.

"Wasn't going to, but fair enough. What's the last one?" Kim asked as she watched Rufus carry an entire plate on his hairless back. The rodent plopped into the sink and grinned a toothy smile, giving Kim a thumbs up.

"Once we're done kicking ass, we all go back to how things were before. You do your dumb hero stuff and I do my badass villainy stuff, minus Drakken of course," Shego finished.

"I can live with that," Kim shrugged as Ron nodded vigorously, seemingly counting down the days they'd get to go back to how things were before.

_Can't I?_

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

A thin man sat wrapped in a silky blanket of darkness, the only light emanating from a dimly lit computer screen. The chubby face of a short, black-haired woman in a lab coat sat calmly on the flickering screen. Her expression was solemn despite the creeping feeling of apprehension and mixed excitement. Deep bags hung underneath her reddening eyes, and tufts of frizzy hair stuck up in several areas.

"Have you collected the information yet?" The man asked.

"This is an extremely complicated case, the test subject isn't present yet to conduct the experiments," DNAmy answered.

"Why are you prolonging it then? I've given you the information on their whereabouts," the man said, getting slightly agitated.

"Yes, I understand. However, it's difficult because I-" DNAmy tried to quickly explain.

"I need that information. We had a deal that I presume you don't want to break," the man said smoothly as his eyes glittered dangerously in the shadowy room.

DNAmy swallowed dryly and nodded, forcing an assuring smile as the call died.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

A few days passed with Kim, Ron, and Shego doing the same routine: train and try not to kill each other. Their schedule was abruptly interrupted by a loud crash, shattering the silence of the night.

_Can I not get one good night's rest?_

* * *

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	18. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Buckle up, the plot is rolling :D

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 17_

Hearing the loud explosion, Kim jolted from her troubled sleep and swiftly checked on Ron beside her. He had struck a kung fu stance with Rufus on his shoulder, the shock clear in his wide brown eyes. They were both still dressed in light pajamas that hung loosely over their numb bodies. The apartment was still wrapped in the arms of darkness, lit only by the gentle glow of a desk lamp on the coffee table. A bright flare of green light flashed from the crack underneath Shego's bedroom door, and loud thumps and roars resonated from the other side.

"Ron, stay here," Kim firmly ordered Ron as she rushed to the bedroom, snatching her Kimmunicator from the table. The blonde boy didn't listen and stubbornly followed Kim like a puppy trailing after its mother.

Melting into the folds of the night, occasionally illuminated by a neon green glow, Kim sprinted to Shego's door and flung it open. A large, striped saber-toothed tiger with a long, indigo scorpion's tail was not the greeting she was hoping for. It donned a black collar with what appeared to be a camera attached to the throat of its thick, furry neck. The creature crouched stiffly with its teeth bared on one side of the room, its spiky fur standing on end.

Shego was standing behind her bed, assuming a defensive stance with her pale hands engulfed with plasma. The green ribbons of flames entwined around her fingertips, sending tiny, flickering sparks flying around the villainess. She didn't even acknowledge Kim's arrival and continued to glare at the creature, neither side attacking.

"What the heck is that?!" Ron screeched in terror as he peered over Kim's shoulder. The two teens were frozen at the doorway, trying to frantically process the scene they were viewing.

"An overgrown kitty who's going to hell," Shego barked, dodging a flick of its sharp tail.

"Well, use your plasma!" Ron exclaimed.

"I don't want to burn down the whole building and the people inside dumbass!" Shego snapped, leaping over the bed that separated the two.

Kim hurled herself at the creature and struck its side with a flying kick. In response, it whipped its head around and snapped with gleaming white teeth at her exposed thigh. With lightning speed, Shego yanked on one of its massively long teeth so it missed Kim's leg by a hair. It howled with rage and with a strong paw, flung the teen hero off its body. Using the momentum to her advantage, Kim planted her feet against the wall and propelled herself back into the fight.

"Rufus, there's something around its neck. Do you think you can get it off?" Ron whispered to the rodent on his shoulder. Rufus nodded and chittered happily, scurrying against the dark corners of the room.

The creature wasn't aiming to attack fatally, Kim noticed. It looked like it was baiting them, almost teasing them to attack it. Seeing Shego and Ron wasn't in peril danger, Kim hopped back to the doorway in front of Ron and pulled out her Kimmunicator. She dialed Wade and silently prayed he'd pick up despite it being late.

"Hey, Kim. What- _WOAH," _Wade gawked at the creature as Kim held up her device for him to see. "That has DNAmy written all over it."

"No kidding! I'm heading back in the fight, but do you think you can trace where this thing came from?" Kim asked hastily.

"No problem, give me a minute," Wade yawned as he began typing furiously, his eyes scanning the computer screen like a robot.

Kim kept her Kimmunicator on as she used a crescent kick to swat away it's piercing tail. Her foot struck the hard plates on its tail, and she winced from the crumbling impact. Shego wasn't having many problems with defending herself, as she was using her hot green plasma to keep the creature at bay.

Ron had disappeared into the kitchen, only to return moments later with a fat steak in his hands. Dangling it in front of the creature's muzzle, he hurled it to the opposite side of the room. The cat immediately stopped toying with Shego and gaped at the hunk of meat with glazed, distracted eyes. Like a fish lured by the light of an angler fish, it followed the bait with strong, hungry strides.

"Totally forgot about that, nice thinking Ron!" Kim praised with a thumbs up.

"I could've handled that mangey litter box myself!" Shego spat, watching the cat eat with narrowed emerald eyes.

"We had a plan, at least it was effective!" Ron retorted as Shego crept towards the cat, ready to knock it out.

A small, hairless rodent suddenly appeared on the back of the oblivious creature, making Shego stop in her tracks. With speedy paws, he unclipped the black collar around its neck and let it drop on the floor. Rufus then scrambled off and dashed across the room to Ron's beckoning arms, his chest bursting with pride that he completed the task.

"Way to go buddy!" Ron cheered as he held up his finger for a mini high-five.

"Thanks, Rufus!" Kim grinned at the tiny rodent.

"I can't believe how useful that rodent is," Shego gaped.

"Better start believing," Kim said as she kept her eyes trained on the creature.

The cat froze mid-chew and gawked at its missing collar with apprehension, panic lacing its wide eyes. A red light flashed from a tiny bulb on the black device attached to the collar, and Kim forcefully shoved Ron out of the room.

"Shego, get out! It might be a bomb!" Kim warned, not realizing she still had her Kimmunicator on and pointing towards the room.

"Kim, I'm zooming in right now, and I don't think that's a bomb. I can see a lens on it, like a camera," Wade informed as he squinted at the screen.

Before anyone else could react, the creature flattened its ears and bared its teeth in a menacing growl. Then, it did the last thing that Kim expected it to do. With gentle teeth, It snatched the beeping collar off the floor and fled out the shattered window. Glimmering fragments of glass sprayed from its hasty escape, but Shego melted the shards by surrounding her hands with flaring flames.

Once the downpour of icy glass had receded, everyone rushed to the open window and scanned the streets below. The darkness, only lit by the sporadic street light, was blinding, and they couldn't see any signs of the mutant animal through the thick shadows.

"Kim, I got something!" Wade's voice sounded from the Kimmunicator in the redhead's hand.

"Spankin'! What's the sitch?" Kim brought the device to her face as Ron and Shego peered from over her shoulder.

"Missing tiger from the Middleton Zoo. Disappeared a few days ago, and the authorities still don't know what happened or where it went," Wade informed as he read the news article.

"Well, we're better than the police since know what happened and where it went," Shego commented dryly, casting a swift glance out the broken window.

"It says that the zookeepers tried to track its microchip, but something was interrupting the signal. They couldn't trace it, and now they're offering a reward for anyone who can find the tiger," Wade informed with a frown.

"A reward you say?" Shego asked with interest, her eyes sparkling at the mention of potential cash.

"I don't think they'd reward us for giving them a mutant tiger hybrid thing," Ron shuddered from the memory.

"Shego now's not the time to be worrying about money," Kim sighed. "Wade, do you think you can try and track it?"

"I've already tried to look for any strange or faulty signals in our area, but I think the chip might've been removed and destroyed," Wade shook his head with disappointment.

"Damn it, thanks for trying anyway," Kim swore under her breath, pacing the room as she chewed her bottom lip.

"I'll keep looking. What're you guys going to do now?" Wade inquired as he looked at the ruined room from the phone screen.

Kim and Ron looked blankly at Shego, who shrugged in return as she gazed around her room. A piercing wind howled through the broken window, it's chilling breeze ruffling through the trio's light pajamas. Shattered glass littered the floor, and parts of the walls were peeling off and painted with claw marks.

"Well, we can't stay here. Someone probably heard the commotion, and the landlord's gonna kick me out when he sees the mess," Shego sighed with a shake of her head.

"Kim, I can book you a motel room for the night until you guys figure out what to do tomorrow," Wade offered, already typing on his computer.

"Wade that'd be great, thanks!" Kim nodded gratefully.

"Thanks, Wade!" Ron smiled at the screen.

"It won't be the best motel there is. I'm looking for one that's pretty empty and cheap so you can be as discreet as possible. The quality might be lacking," Wade warned.

"Don't worry about it, we'll make it work," Kim nodded assuringly.

"I don't care, but I'm not paying," Shego stated, crossing her arms over her chest.

"It'll hopefully be only one night, so I don't mind paying," Kim shrugged, not even surprised that Shego didn't want to spend her money.

"I can help split," Ron offered, patting his pajama pants for his wallet despite not having pockets.

"Ron, it's so not the drama, I got this," Kim gently touched his arm and ran to get her wallet.

She sprinted back into the room with Wade still on the line. Shego peered over her shoulder curiously to see how empty her wallet was and scoffed with irritation. Groaning with tired steps, the villainess sauntered over to her purse atop the broken table and grabbed her own wallet.

"I'll just pay for your broke asses, so we don't have to deal with counting pennies," Shego grunted as she fingered the stacks of green bills that were over-stuffed together.

"Did Shego just do something nice? Or am I delusional from the lack of sleep?" Ron asked Kim with wide, gawking eyes. His voice was more wonderstruck than sarcastic, and Shego just snorted in response.

"I think we're all a little delusional," Kim joked.

"Don't get used to it, I'm just saving us time," Shego grumbled.

"Ok, Kim! I sent the motel's address to your Kimmunicator, it's a single room. Did you need a ride too?" Wade inquired, hands hovering over the keys.

"I got the hovercraft and my car," Shego informed before Kim could answer.

"Mhm, thanks again, Wade! I'll update you tomorrow, and I'm so sorry for waking you up," Kim apologized with a grateful nod.

"It's no problem! I'm sleeping in tomorrow anyway, good night and good luck," Wade smiled before cutting the call.

"Get changed, we're ditching this dump in two minutes," Shego ordered firmly, pushing the teens out of her wrecked bedroom.

Kim and Ron took turns changing in the bathroom, and the redhead slipped on her new clothes that Shego had ordered. She donned a pair of dark blue high-waisted pants with a light long-sleeved shirt over. Pulling a jacket over her shoulders, Kim grabbed her Kimmunicator and wallet before meeting back up with Ron and Shego.

Shego carried her purse and a small, forest green duffel bag, most likely containing her catsuit and other personal belongings.

"Did you remember to pack your Cuddle Buddy?" Ron asked teasingly, pointing at the duffel bag. Rufus was curled up in his cargo pants pocket, dead tired from the events that disturbed his sleep. Kim nudged Ron gently with her elbow, shaking her head softly with a slight tilt towards Shego.

_Shego's already pissed her apartment's wrecked, we don't need her to be on the verge of killing everything in sight. But I guess she was expecting this when she chose to stay._

The pale villainess only growled in response, too tired and angry to argue. She led them swiftly out the door, not casting a second look back at her apartment.

"What about all your other stuff?" Kim asked as they ran down the stairs.

"I'll just buy more. Everything in there's replaceable," Shego said with a shrug. They reached the bottom floor and took a second to wait for Ron to catch up.

"Hey," Kim touched her arm with light fingertips. "Thanks for paying by the way," she said with a small smile.

"It's so not the drama like really, it's no big!" Shego replied in a disturbingly perky voice, mimicking Kim's.

"Do I seriously sound like that?" Kim rolled her eyes with a lighthearted laugh.

"Princess, that's as accurate as it's gonna get," Shego smirked, but didn't shove Kim's resting hand off her arm.

The teen hero shook her head with amusement as a panting Ron stumbled down the stairs.

"No more stairs please," Ron gasped in between large gulps of air. Kim let him lean on her shoulder for a moment before Shego hurried them along. Her emerald eyes were narrowed and nervously darting back and forth as the trio rushed out into the chilly night.

They stayed alert for any signs of the mutant creature as they followed Shego to her hidden garage, but the only sounds that rattled the silent night were the faint rustling of leaves and the whistling wind. The sky was still an inky canvas splattered with icy white specks, and dark clouds churned over the moon. Lighting one hand with glowing plasma, Shego held it in front of her face so she could see where they were going.

Shego led them through the secluded area and into the garage where the hovercraft still sat. Pulling out a set of keys, she unlocked the doors and tossed her bag onto the metal floor. Kim jumped into the passenger seat next to Shego while Ron took the backseat, tripping over the various items scattered on the ground.

"Here's the address," Kim showed her Kimmunicator screen to Shego as she punched in the coordinates.

In one swift movement, the aircraft lifted off the ground and ascended into the blanket of night. Ron was clutching the edges of his seat as he peered nervously over the edge, forcing his dinner to stay down.

"You ok Ron?" Kim asked with a frown, glancing over her shoulder to see Ron's queasy expression.

"Totally fine, KP. Just uh- a little dizzy," Ron stammered with a pale face.

"The motel's not too far from here, hang in there," Kim encouraged with a small smile.

"I swear to god Stoppable, if you vomit in my ship, I'm flipping this fucking thing like I did with Kimmie. Except I'll keep it upside down for _much _longer," Shego warned, her tone tense and serious.

"Noted. What did you do with Kim?" Ron asked curiously, swaying slightly despite the ship's smooth flying.

Shego grinned nefariously but before she could answer, Kim quickly interrupted with a panicked expression.

"We don't _ever_ talk about that again, Shego. _Ever_," Kim quivered from the memory, feeling slightly embarrassed even though Ron had no idea what happened.

With a low snicker, Shego turned towards the teen hero momentarily, her emerald eyes glittering with mirth. Ron was barely staying conscious during the conversation, his head leaned back with his mouth slightly agape.

"Shego, that creature in your apartment, it was holding back wasn't it?" Kim asked after a while.

"Yeah, definitely. If it was actually trying to kill me, the building would've been on fire," Shego said, squinting her eyes as she tried to remember the cat's moves.

"Why would it do that?" Kim asked, checking on Ron again to see if he was still alright.

"Beats me, Princess. That hairball was playing me as if I was some goddamn toy. Not really fighting, but observing," Shego frowned, tightening her grip on the yoke.

"The camera. DNAmy was recording us, but why? The tiger left as soon as Rufus took it off and started beeping. What does it all mean?" Kim rubbed her temples with confusion and frustration.

"Let's think about ways to kill her tomorrow, 'cause my body feels like shit and I'm super pissed right now," Shego said irritatedly, tilting the hovercraft into a steep descent.

Kim nodded and stayed quiet, rubbing her olive eyes with exhaustion.

_I have so many questions that can't even be answered._

"How much further?" Ron asked queasily, wiping away the cold sweat plastered against his glistening forehead.

"Almost there Ron, you can do it," Kim encouraged softly, feeling a twinge of anxiety at the possibility Ron would get sick.

"Stop whining, we're here," Shego snapped as she landed the aircraft roughly on the wide, empty field. They were concealed by tall streaks of grass and thick foliage, making it even darker than before.

As soon as they landed, Ron jumped out of the aircraft and laid sprawled out on the dark, inviting field. He clenched the dry soil and kissed the firm ground, thanking the universe for the stability and solid earth. Color washed over his pale face, and his stomach untwisted from its tight knots.

"Land, oh sweet and joyous land," Ron sighed with relief as the two girls climbed out of the hovercraft. Kim helped him up while Shego grabbed the few items she brought along, slinging the duffel bag over her shoulder.

The walk to the outdoor motel was short, and the trio stopped in front of the dimly lit lobby. The drab building itself was a long strip lined with doors and dark windows.

_If the sitch was different, I'd be complaining a whole lot more._

"Well, this is sketchy as hell. I love it," Shego remarked with evident distaste.

"It's no big," Kim shrugged as she strained to keep her voice mild and even.

It looked eerily like a setting for a horror movie, and the petite redhead fought back the chill running up her spine.

_That's it! No more horror movies after 8!_

Snapping out of her daze, Kim looked up to see Ron strolling back out from the lobby doors.

"Wade already booked us for the night, so all I had to do was pick up the key," Ron grinned as he took a big bite out of a chocolate chip cookie he was holding. "Oh, and the guy at the front desk was super nice. He gave me a free cookie."

Shego rolled her eyes as she snatched the key from Ron's crumby hands, reading the room number. The pale thief led them across the spacious lot and towards a door with paint peeling off around the sides. She unlocked it and creaked it open to reveal their room, and the trio gawked at the sight.

It was unnervingly cramped with a single bed sitting dead center on a stained red carpet. The room was musty and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in ages from the blankets of cobwebs decorating the corners. A wooden chair with a small, round table were the only pieces of furniture besides the bed, and Kim could see layers of dust settled upon them.

_Ok, so I have a few complaints._

"Cozy, quaint, and with a hint of high-class style. The interior design is marvelous, and I keep gushing over the unique, eye-catching color palette. It's fucking perfect," Shego said wryly, her voice practically dripping with sarcasm. She grimaced as she trudged in the room, keeping her shoes on and resisting the urge to burn all the dirt to ashes.

"It's better than nothing," Ron shrugged sleepily as Rufus hopped out of his pocket. The pink rodent landed on the bed with a bounce, and he scrunched his tiny nose as he looked around at the dirty room.

"Yuck!" Rufus exclaimed as everyone silently agreed with that statement.

"I've seen alleyways that look homier," Shego remarked as she flung her bag on the grimy, wooden table.

"It's late, and we're all in a bad mood. Let's just go to sleep," Kim suggested with a yawn, only to freeze and blink as everyone stared at each other.

_Oh no, there's only one bed._

Feeling an argument starting to simmer, Kim hastily stepped in with a calm expression.

"Guys, wait. I say, whoever did the most work with the creature from earlier gets the bed; it's only fair," Kim reasoned.

"I kicked ass and got a few good hits in," Shego said.

"I flung a raw steak and got it to stop attacking," Ron said.

"Me!" Rufus declared proudly.

Everyone turned to stare at the little, hairless rodent as the corners of Ron's mouth started to curl up in a gleeful grin.

"He was the one who technically made the cat thing go away. He did risk his life and take off the collar after all," Ron pointed out, his chest swelling with pride for his pet.

"He really did save the day," Kim agreed with an affectionate nod at Rufus.

"Hell no! I could've handled the overgrown kitty litter myself!" Shego argued heatedly. "There's no way I'm letting a naked mole rat sleep on the bed while I sleep on the floor!" She exclaimed, slightly horrified by the very idea.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Someone want to remind me why we're sleeping on the floor while a 4-inch rodent is taking up the whole bed?" Shego asked dryly as she squirmed uncomfortably on the hard ground.

"Because we could all probably be classified as clinically insane," Kim mused with a small shake of her head.

"I second that," Ron chirped with a wide smile.

"Honestly, I can't even disagree," Shego said with a light laugh, feeling her anger dissolve as it was replaced with drowsiness.

Kim laughed despite her weariness and discomfort from being in between Shego and Ron. She laid on her back with an arm propped up as a makeshift pillow, stifling the occasional sneeze from the dust tickling her nose. Much to the teen hero's appreciation, Shego had internally warmed her body to let off soft waves of comforting warmth. It wrapped around her thin, chattering limbs like welcoming arms, melting the ice-locked around her freezing bones.

_Is Shego just cold? Or was my shivering that obvious?_

The teen hero craned her head to look at Shego, but she felt oddly disappointed to see that the villainess's back was turned to her.

"You comfy Ron?" Kim asked as she heard him wriggle, his knee accidentally knocking her side.

"Sorry, KP. I'm as comfy as I can be," Ron mused as he struggled to find a tolerable position.

"Same here, goodnight Ron," Kim whispered, letting her eyelids droop.

"Night," Ron replied as he finally stopped moving.

Kim cracked an olive eye open to glimpse at Shego's back.

"Goodnight Shego," Kim said softly.

"Go to sleep, Pumpkin," Shego murmured with a yawn.

After a few more minutes of disgruntled tossing and turning, the trio slipped into a restless sleep that lasted for the rest of the night.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Lucifer!" DNAmy called to the mutant big cat dragging itself across the lab room.

The creature, called Lucifer, traipsed towards the geneticist as he carried a collar in his mouth, his long scorpion tail trailing behind it. With a defeated pout, he spat out the black collar at DNAmy's feet.

"It's ok, I've got everything I need so don't be sad. You were such a good boy for coming back when you heard the beeps. Good boy!" DNAmy praised as she pat his large head affectionately. She tentatively picked up the collar with two fingers, wiping off the saliva that covered it.

Lucifer followed her as she connected the camera to a screen, replaying the footage that was captured. A small, furry creature peeked out from the shadows, and DNAmy beckoned it over.

"Study hard," DNAmy said as she stroked its soft fur and fed it a fishy cracker.

It smiled widely with flashy sharp teeth and turned towards the screen with a fishy cracker, grinning even wider.

* * *

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**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	19. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Monique's involved in the story and I don't regret it :D

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 18_

Kim arched her back as she felt a muscle strain with stiffness, and she groaned softly from the pain in stretching it. Warmth flooded through her petite body, and she instinctively curled up closer to the heat source as to shelter from the chilled room.

"Princess, can I get up now?" Shego asked flatly, stifling a smirk.

_Huh? _

Kim's olive eye fluttered open as her mind tried to groggily process where she was. She realized she was still laying on the floor in the old, musty motel room, and dust still clung to her tight clothes. With a tiny frown, she sleepily looked over to see what was so warm.

It took exactly two seconds to process she was heavily draped over a very relaxed and amused Shego, and her head was nestled comfortably on the villainess's exposed shoulder. With a loud shriek, the teen hero jumped like a cat being spooked.

"_GAHHH!" _Kim cried as she landed on her feet and shakily stumbled back, feeling horrified and embarrassed simultaneously. Her face was painted with a red similar to her crimson hair, and she could feel the hot pink burning her cheeks.

"Taking your ogling to the next level I see?" Shego laughed nefariously, propping up an elbow to look at the teen with a quirked eyebrow.

"I was asleep! Why didn't you wake me up?!" Kim almost shrieked, taking another step back.

"You looked so comfy on top of me. It's not a surprise that I'm irresistible," Shego snickered with a suggestive wink.

"You made your body warm so I instinctively moved towards it. I wasn't even conscious when it happened!" Kim argued, her embarrassed blush deepening.

"Pumpkin, is this your own impossible way of telling me my body's smoking hot?" Shego smirked as she couldn't hold back the laughter bubbling out of her mouth.

"You did it on purpose!" Kim yelled, barely able to think about what she was saying through the foggy cloud of embarrassment.

"Am I not allowed to keep myself from freezing to death?" Shego replied calmly, her teasing emerald eyes sparkling with mirth. Kim opened her mouth, searching for a retort in her hazy mind.

_I can't even think of something to counter that. Damn it!_

With a huff, Kim whipped around and stomped towards the bathroom, leaving a laughing Shego behind. When she came back out, her olive eyes were wide and frantic, trained on anything except the pale villainess rummaging through her duffel bag.

Rufus was still dozing peacefully on the bed while Ron wasn't paying attention much to the two girls. With distracted and excited gestures, he spoke quietly into his phone. Quickly hanging up, he smiled when he saw Kim strolling towards him, her eyes focused on the ground as if it were the most interesting thing she'd seen. Shego brushed by her on the way to the bathroom, still snickering evilly. The teen hero shot her a fierce glare while Ron quirked an eyebrow curiously.

"Morning Ron, you sleep well?" Kim asked once Shego had disappeared behind the door, forcing the heat on her face to recede.

"Best sleep I had in a while! How about you?" Ron replied with a cheery expression.

"It was… warm," Kim muttered lowly. "You sound excited. Who were you on the phone with?" she inquired, desperate to change the subject.

"Oh, uhm- Monique," Ron said with a sheepish smile.

_Monique and Ron have been talking with each other a lot lately. Is there something going on that I don't know about?_

"Oooo Monique? You've been talking a lot with her lately, huh?" Kim asked slyly with a teasing glint in her eyes.

"No no, it's not like that! I think? I was just telling her about what happened last night and how gross this motel room is," Ron stammered out hastily, a faint cherry red washing his cheeks.

"Wait. You told her _what_?" Kim questioned with a raised eyebrow. "How much does she know?"

"Uh- everything?" Ron replied with a small smile.

"Ron, you know how Monique is! She's gonna-" Kim was interrupted by the loud beeping of her Kimmunicator, and she reluctantly checked the caller ID.

_Monique. Here we go._

"Hey Monique," Kim greeted hesitantly, knowing what was coming next.

"KIM, HONEY GET ALL OF YOUR ASSES AT MY APARTMENT NOW," Monique screeched wildly into the phone.

Kim winced since the phone was on speaker, and she turned down the volume so it was still high enough for Ron to hear. She looked at her best friend with an expression that screamed "I told you so," and Ron just gave a cheeky thumbs up in response.

"Good morning to you too," Kim laughed dryly.

"Girl, skip the pleasantries and get outa that dirty, old motel room," Monique ordered playfully, her tone light but stern.

"I'm assuming Ron already told you that we're staying here temporarily until Shego gets a new apartment?" Kim asked flatly as Ron nodded.

"You know it! And that's why you're crashing at my place until then," Monique stated.

"Monique, that's so sweet of you, but no. It's bad enough that Ron's already involved. I don't want to put another one of my closest friend's lives in danger too," Kim said.

"Ha! Kim, do you not know how much you've done for me and the world already? The least I can do is let you guys stay for a few days," Monique laughed as if it wasn't a big deal.

"No. Shego's a wanted criminal remember? Global Justice is looking for us too," Kim reminded gently.

"Oh screw the technicalities," Monique brushed off Kim's concerns.

"The technicalities matter, Monique. This isn't like all of my other missions, I won't let you help," Kim said firmly.

"Girl, I already know everything about this messy sitch. Do you seriously expect me to just sit on the sides with a magazine and watch my best friends get hurt?" Monique asked incredulously.

"Absolutely. Did I forget to mention a bunch of wacky villains are after me and Shego too?" Kim ran her fingers through her wild, crimson mane in frustration.

"I'm your friend, and I refuse to let you stay at that motel where the dust is so thick it's dissolving your clothes and sense of sanity," Monique said defiantly.

"No. We'll make it work for the next few days," Kim said bluntly.

"Kim, listen to me. Ron told me that even though you guys are practically running for your lives, this is the first time he's seen you so alive and clear-minded since the tower- I mean uh- in the last three months. I want to help," Monique said softly.

"But-" Kim started but was quickly interrupted.

"Hold up girlfriend, I'm not finished. Ron and I have a lot to thank you for, this is nothing compared to what you've done for us. Just let me do this one thing for you so you can go back to kicking ass, please?" Monique asked sweetly.

"No. It's way too dangerous and you don't know how to fight. I'm not putting you through something that risky," Kim sighed.

"You make it sound like I haven't picked up a thing or two from you and Ron over the past few years. I know how to defend myself," Monique protested stubbornly.

"I know you can, but it's not enough," Kim insisted.

"Then teach me. I can train with you guys while you stay at my place," Monique said.

"Fighting isn't something that you can learn overnight, Monique. It's just like fashion design, it takes years to develop," Kim pointed out.

"I'll get better. It's only a few nights, it'll be fine," Monique urged.

_I'll let Ron make the call, he's my partner and should have a say on decisions like these._

Kim looked expectantly at Ron who had been intently listening to the conversation, his brow furrowed. He thought about it for a moment before smiling, nodding at Monique's offer. Shego had been listening to parts of the conversation lazily on the bed, her legs propped up next to Rufus. She glanced up from her nail filing to see Kim patiently waiting for her opinion.

_Where does Shego even keep all those nail filers?_

Shego just shrugged disinterestedly and mumbled something inaudible, returning to buffing her sharp nails.

_I'll take that as an "I don't care because I hate this motel room more than you do."_

"Monique!" Rufus cheered, wide awake and energized from his comfortable sleep.

_Guess we got everyone's vote. _

"I'll pay for your month's rent," Kim sighed defeatedly with a slight shake of her head.

_Ah, so this is why I'm always broke._

"I'll cook and pay for groceries!" Ron offered enthusiastically into the phone.

"I'll sit and ask myself again why I'm teaming up with a bunch of broke-ass kids," Shego said with a dead expression.

Monique heard them all, and her laugh echoed throughout the motel room.

"My rent and food are covered? Girlfriend, I don't see how I'm getting the bad end of this!" Monique commented before continuing in a more serious tone. "Thanks, Kim and Ron, but you don't need to do all that. I'm lending a helping hand, not shaking on a business deal."

"Too late, I already sent the funds to your account," Kim joked. "I know you're struggling with rent Monique, just let me lend my own helping hand."

"If that'll make you feel better, then thank you so much," Monique responded gratefully.

"It's no big, I'm the one who should be thanking you for risking your safety. And I'm talking about from Shego, not the villains," Kim said with a light laugh. The pale villainess scoffed with a slightly irritated expression but didn't look up from her nails.

"We can thank each other later, girl! You better be at my place soon, you know my address!" Monique said a swift goodbye before hanging up.

Kim stared at the phone's blank screen for a brief second before noticing Ron looking at her excitedly.

"When can we leave?" Ron asked, standing up from the creaky chair he was sitting on.

"Keep your pants on, I need to go waste my money paying for this shitty room first," Shego grumbled with an irked frown, reaching for her purse. "Someone take the money to the front, while I continue to contemplate my existence."

"I'll do it! Maybe the guy has more cookies," Ron offered, taking the money and key from Shego's hand and sprinting out the door with Rufus in his pocket.

Shego grabbed the few things she brought and pushed out the door with Kim, their green eyes filled with gratitude for leaving the grimy prison. They didn't cast a second look back as they inhaled deeply, relishing silently in the soft morning breeze. The pale sun's rays beamed hesitantly down through the puffs of marshmallow clouds, and fresh, crisp air filled their dusty nostrils. Sending a quick text to Ron to meet them at the hovercraft, Kim followed Shego to where the aircraft sat.

"Do you think DNAmy knows where Monique lives?" Kim asked slowly as they walked through a secluded area behind the motel.

"I doubt it. But again, I have no idea how she knew where I lived," Shego growled with a frown.

"Did Drakken know?" Kim inquired.

"Hell no! If Drakken knew where I lived, he'd be showing up at my door at 3 in the morning asking how to use a CD player," Shego snorted with distaste for the blue scientist.

"Point taken," Kim laughed, still concerned about the events from last night.

_All of this is giving me a massive headache. _

The two girls reached the hovercraft and sat quietly in it as they waited for Ron, letting the beaming sun shine shyly down on them. Kim studied her healed knuckles, the cuts and gashes replaced by faint, ghostly scars.

_That seemed so long ago, yet it's only been about a week. _

A few minutes of comfortable silence passed before loud, crunching steps shook Kim and Shego from their troubled thoughts. Ron came stumbling up to the ship, a few cookies held daintily in one hand while the other grasped three water bottles against his chest.

"Breakfast is served," Ron wheezed as he flopped onto the backseat. Rufus immediately soared out of his pocket and snatched a cookie from Ron's hand, chewing it hungrily as he sat in his lap.

"A perfectly well-balanced meal, thanks, Ron!" Kim grinned as she grabbed two cookies and offered one to Shego.

The pale thief rolled her emerald eyes but reluctantly took the food and water, muttering under her breath. Quickly scarfing everything down like ravenous animals, Kim told Monique's apartment address to Shego after they finished. It only took a minute for the coordinates to get punched in, and they were sailing in the air seconds afterward.

Ron was queasier than ever on the flight, and Kim suggested he close his eyes and try to sleep. His crumby face was almost the color of Shego's pale skin, but he took the redhead's advice and let his eyelids droop.

"Why does your friend live by herself? I thought you kids were still in Highschool," Shego asked as the ship passed over some low lying spreads of clouds.

"Her name is _Monique_, and she's planning on going to fashion school after we graduate. Since she's 18, she decided to move out and live alone, so she could work in a quiet place without her parents hovering over everything she did," Kim explained while Ron nodded wearily, half-listening to the conversation.

"Independent, I like it. And her parents are ok with it?" Shego inquired almost disbelievingly.

"Well, they were sad at first that their little girl had grown up, but Monique promised she could pay and take care of herself," Kim replied with a shrug. "She's been a bit short on funds for rent."

"So you're going to help pay for it?" Shego asked for confirmation.

"Of course! It's the least I can do since she literally offered to help a wanted criminal just because you're associating with me and Ron," Kim replied, glancing over her shoulder to check on the blonde boy.

"And you keep wondering why you're always so broke," Shego grumbled as she shook her head amusedly.

Kim laughed cheekily, her embarrassing morning with the pale villainess completely forgotten. Remembering something, she quickly whipped out her Kimmunicator and called Wade, letting him know that they would be staying at Monique's apartment temporarily. The rest of the flight was rather uneventful, and the girls silently thanked the heavens above that Ron didn't get sick.

Shego landed the hovercraft in a secluded field surrounded with tall pines, their forest green needles littering the overgrown sandy grass. The walk to Monique's apartment was fairly long since they couldn't find a more hidden place to park, and Kim took extra caution in using backways and avoiding the main road.

Like Shego's apartment, they didn't go through the front entrance and instead used the backdoor. Ron led the way to Monique's apartment number, knowing exactly where to go. The trio reached her door and knocked softly twice, nervously waiting in the exposed hallway.

"Hey, girlfriend! Hey, Ron! Hey, uhm- Shego," Monique greeted as she swung her door wide open, ushering the trio in before closing and locking the door.

"Hey Monique, thank you so much for letting us stay for a bit," Kim said gratefully as she gave the fashion diva a crushing hug, her ribs feeling stronger by the day. Ron followed suit as Shego hung back by the doorway casually, scanning the apartment interior with narrowed eyes.

They were in a living room lined with a light gray couch and chair, a mahogany coffee table in the center. A small TV was balanced on a thin stand across from the couch, and Shego noticed it was caked in dust. She concluded that Monique probably didn't have too much time to relax and mindlessly flip through channels. A wide hallway that led to the kitchen was straight across from the doorway, and another hallway swerved to the right that most likely led to a bedroom and bathroom. Her walls were a pristine white, and the shiny hardwood floor was covered with a stylish striped rug.

Shego snapped out of her sharp examination to see Monique's hand reaching out to her. With a tired sigh, she reluctantly shook the hand and gruffly thanked the fashion diva for letting her stay.

_Did Shego actually thank her? Or is it just the dust from the motel room getting to my head?_

"Oooo, girlfriend! These new clothes are fire! I told you you'd look great in something tighter and less cargo pants-y," Monique nodded her approval as she carefully inspected the fabric on Kim's outfit. "Who got you to switch up your style?"

"That would be me," Shego slipped off her shoes and stepped forward with a smirk towards Kim.

"Thank god for that! Sorry honey, but your old outfit was so horrendously drab and baggy," Monique said as Kim laughed.

"That's what I said! Pumpkin, I think I like this friend of yours already," Shego stated with a sneer.

"Pumpkin?" Monique raised an eyebrow in confusion as she looked between Kim and Shego. "Is there something going on between you two?"

"Forced mutual tolerance," Shego grunted as Kim nodded.

"I've been suffering through the pain," Kim agreed with an exaggerated sigh. Shego's emerald eyes glittered nefariously as she grinned slightly, remembering the events at the motel.

"You didn't look to be in much pain this morning when you were curled up on top of-" Shego smirked but was quickly interrupted by a flustered Kim.

"Monique! How about we sit down and explain the parts of the sitch that Ron left out?" Kim suggested hastily before Shego could finish.

"Sure, Kim. But you better not leave out any juicy details!" Monique mock scolded, as Ron came crashing in from the kitchen.

"I know exactly what I'm cooking tonight, you have all the ingredients I need!" Ron cheered as Rufus pumped his fists excitedly from his shoulder perch.

"Anything you cook is always going to be amazing anyway," Monique laughed as she sat the trio down on the long couch. "Before everything else, I have some house rules."

"Oh, goodie, more rules," Shego rolled her eyes exasperatedly.

"Lay them out for us Monique," Kim nodded encouragingly, ignoring Shego's comment.

"Rule 1: No fighting inside. There's a way up to the roof so we can train and spar up there," Monique stated as the trio murmured agreement.

"No fighting got it. What else?" Ron asked.

"Rule 2: Kim is not allowed in the kitchen," Monique said as the redhead laughed.

When Shego raised an eyebrow quizzically, Monique explained with a teasing glint in her chocolate eyes. "Let's just say that Kim's whole shtick of "I can do anything!" forgot about the fact that she can't cook."

"No idea why, but that rule somehow seems targeted towards me," Kim chuckled with an embarrassed shake of her head.

"You and I both know it's true!" Monique laughed. "Rule 3: No plasma in the apartment or setting things on fire. If someone breaks something, you're going to replace it."

"Ouch. I also feel targeted and personally attacked," Shego said sarcastically with an exaggerated wounded expression.

"Rule 4: No one is to snoop around my personal fashion projects and make a mess. If you can't find something, just ask me, but don't go on a treasure hunt and dig through my belongings," Monique said firmly, looking pointedly at Ron.

"I won't mess up your stuff," Ron promised sheepishly as Shego nodded vigorously at that rule.

"Sounds more than fair, is that it Monique?" Kim asked.

"That's all," Monique confirmed.

"Monique, can I speak with you for a moment?" Ron asked casually as he got up, ignoring the curious looks from Kim. The fashion diva nodded and led him to her bedroom, closing the door behind them.

Her bedroom was cluttered with unfinished outfits, open textbooks, and scraps of paper with rushed designs scrawled messily on them. A small, ruby red bed sat off to the left side, and a desk overflowing with notes and a sewing machine was pushed against her wall on the other side.

"What's up, Ron?" Monique asked as she planted a hand on the curve of her hip.

"Why are you being so friendly to Shego? She's a _wanted criminal _who's been our enemy for years!" Ron exclaimed wildly.

"She let you and Kim stay at her apartment for free," Monique reminded gently, gesturing for Ron to lower his voice.

"That doesn't mean we should all start welcoming her into our friend group with open arms!" Ron argued in a lower voice.

"True, but I'm just being polite, we sure as hell ain't friends. Tell me Ron, has Shego done anything bad to you or Kim while you stayed at her place?" Monique asked.

"Aside from tormenting me, no not really," Ron muttered.

"Has she made any attempts to seriously hurt or kill you two?" Monique pressed.

"No," Ron admitted with a sigh.

"You're right you know, we should all still be wary," Monique nodded and paused for a moment. "But if Kim trusts her, then so do I."

"I wouldn't really say they "trust" each other, Monique," Ron said.

"Well, Kim must have some form of trust to still be sticking with her," Monique shrugged but frowned when she saw Ron's worried expression. "You're worried that Shego's gonna betray us, aren't you?"

"Read my mind like always," Ron half-laughed.

"I do have a knack for that," Monique agreed with a chuckle but her expression turned serious. "I don't think Shego would do that, especially to Kim."

"How do you know? You don't even know her, and she's the type of person to do that sort of thing," Ron argued with an obvious distaste for the villainess.

"It's true, you guys know her better than me so you could be right. But I have a strong feeling in my gut that says Shego won't hurt us. I always listen to my gut, Ron," Monique said with a small smile, laying her hand gently on the distraught boy's tense shoulder.

"I still don't trust her, but your gut better be right," Ron grumbled but gave the fashion diva a smile in return anyway.

"It usually is!" Monique laughed and gave a small smile. "I think we should all try to give Shego a chance."

"That's definitely not something I like, but I'll try my best for Kim," Ron sighed defeatedly.

"Same here. We better go back out there before they get any wrong ideas though," Monique chuckled with a suggestive wink.

Ron laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head with a sweaty hand, stumbling out of the room with Monique in the lead. Kim and Shego were sitting close together on the couch, looking through new apartments on the villainess's laptop that she brought along.

"Finish your alone time together already?" Shego smirked as her emerald eyes twinkled teasingly at Monique, who just laughed in response.

Kim sharply elbowed her side and shot her a smoldering glare, while Shego only shrugged with amusement.

"Nothing happened, I swear!" Ron protested with a nervous chuckle.

"You guys catch me up with everything, so I know what we're working with. We can start with training tomorrow," Monique suggested as they all sat down.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Kim, you can sleep in my room with me since I have a spare mattress. It's small and little torn though," Monique warned as Kim helped her pull out the mattress from her stuffed closet.

"Thanks, Monique, but I don't think it'll be a good idea to leave Shego with Ron unsupervised for that long. I can sleep with either Ron or Shego," Kim shrugged as she laid the mattress down next to Monique's bed.

_I'm scared to know what Shego might pull on Ron while he's asleep and I'm not around._

"Are you ok with sleeping with Shego out in the living room then? I don't know how I feel about having her next to me when I sleep." Monique chuckled nervously but paused and looked Kim in the eye. "Don't tell her I said that though."

"Of course, I'll sleep wherever you want me to. And Shego won't do anything to you, don't worry. Frankly, I think you're the only person here she gets along with," Kim laughed.

"Besides you of course," Monique replied with a teasing gleam in her mocha eyes.

"I don't think we've ever talked for more than ten minutes without arguing," Kim snorted with a small smile.

"Honey, that's a big lie," Monique teased as Kim rolled her olive eyes.

_Ok, so maybe that's a bit of a stretch._

Ron and Monique settled in her room while Kim went back out to the living room to see Shego still staring at her laptop. Though it was late at night and the sky was the color of ink, the room was still brightly lit with golden light.

"Find anything good?" Kim asked as she sat on the couch, peering curiously at the apartment pictures on Shego's screen.

"All the halfway decent ones have no vacancy," Shego sighed with irritation as she closed the laptop.

"We can look for more tomorrow," Kim said with an encouraging smile.

"If we survive till tomorrow," Shego muttered lowly under her breath but put the laptop back in her duffel bag.

"I'll take the sleeping bag, you can have the couch," Kim said tiredly as she tossed a pillow onto the floor.

"Pumpkin, I think your ribs would appreciate a surface that isn't hardwood floor. I'll toughen it out on the floor," Shego huffed as she sat on the sleeping bag.

"My ribs are healed, Shego," Kim rolled her eyes exasperatedly, standing firmly in place with her hands on her hips.

"Sure they are. Would it hurt if I elbowed you in the side then?" Shego asked dryly with a raised eyebrow.

Continuing to stare defiantly into Shego's piercing emerald eyes, Kim narrowed her eyes into tiny slits.

_Wait, why am I trying to resist the one time Shego's being nice?_

"Have fun on the floor," Kim sighed after she turned away from the long stare.

"I'm always fun on the floor," Shego smirked sultrily, a suggestive gleam in her sparkling emerald eyes.

Kim only snorted and climbed onto the couch, laying on her side so that she could still see Shego sitting on the floor.

"Goodnight, Shego," Kim whispered as Shego switched off the light, letting the sinking darkness engulf the girls.

Silence followed Kim as she drifted into a turbulent sea of sleep. But before she was lost in the crashing waves, she swore she heard Shego whisper back.

"Night, Kimmie."

* * *

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**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	20. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Sorry for the short chapter! I'm a bit behind on my writing, so I might miss an update. Also, phones ring at the worst times, I'm sorry! ;0;

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 19_

"Commander, it's not wise to engage, the target is severely dangerous. This action you've ordered might be fatal, I will not engage. I repeat I will _not _engage!" Kim whispered fiercely to Ron as they peeked around the kitchen wall.

"Soldier, listen to me, this is what you've been trained for. You _must _perform your duty!" Ron said solemnly as he pretended to take off an imaginary hat in respect. "I'll tell your family that you loved them and that your death was honorable."

The two teens snickered quietly as they continued to peer nervously at a sleeping Shego.

"Would one of you two just go and wake her up?" Monique asked with an exasperated eye roll, a smile still plastered on her face nonetheless.

"It's Sunday. Shego hates waking up early on weekends," Kim grumbled but got up anyway and crept quietly towards the living room.

She glanced over her shoulder to see Ron and Monique hiding behind the kitchen wall, sticking their heads out to watch the scene unfold. They gave the teen hero two big encouraging thumbs-ups, grinning widely as they held back their laughter. Kim pushed down her growing apprehension and swallowed dryly, forcing her legs to move forward. Each careful step barely ruffled her clothes, and she tiptoed like a thief towards the sleeping form of Shego.

Intending to gently shake the villainess awake, Kim tentatively reached her hand out. But her initial plan was foiled. Like a streak of pale green lightning, Shego's arm flashed out and grabbed Kim's before she could touch her. The petite redhead yelped in surprise as Shego yanked her arm and pulled her to the ground, quickly switching their positions.

Kim stared wide-eyed in shock as Shego pinned her down, grinning mischievously like the cat who ate the canary. The pale thief straddled her stomach and looked down at her with a snarky, triumphant expression. Shego's long, raven hair hung messily over her shoulders, and streaks of black gently brushed Kim's flushed cheeks.

Monique and Ron burst out laughing, and their amusement rang throughout the apartment.

"Nice try, Kimmie," Shego leaned down and whispered haughtily. Her wispy breath felt hot on Kim's burning ears, and she shivered involuntarily. "Did you seriously think you could sneak up on a world-class thief?" Shego asked more loudly with a smirk.

"H-how did you-" Kim stammered as she hastily shut her slightly agape jaw.

"I heard you and your little friends plan your foolproof mission, Soldier," Shego saluted mockingly as Kim chuckled, feeling more embarrassed and awkward by the second.

"Oh… We didn't think about the possibility that you might be awake," Kim laughed as she shoved Shego off her.

"Or the possibility that I'm not deaf," Shego added. "You two were so loud, I wouldn't be surprised if you woke up everyone in this building."

"I'll get you one day," Kim promised.

"I really doubt it, but I guess your pathetic attempts just give me something else to tease you about. Do your worst, Princess," Shego said daringly.

Kim grinned sheepishly and went back to Ron and Monique while Shego got ready in the bathroom.

"I told you it was fatal," Kim muttered with a playful smile to Ron.

"I honestly thought the outcome would've been a lot worse," Ron admitted, patting Kim's shoulder comfortingly.

"I'd say the mission was a success! Shego didn't even look mad!" Monique gasped with a wonderstruck expression.

"I think she's just saving her rage for me when I'm least expecting it," Kim laughed. "Or letting it build up for when we spar later."

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

The four of them warmed up and stretched on the roof of Monique's apartment complex. Kim and Ron trained together while Shego surprisingly offered to teach Monique.

"Girl, your taste in fashion is _fire_! I'm so glad you got Kim into some new clothes," Monique chatted as she copied a stretch that Shego was doing.

"I _know_, they were so _boring_," Shego rolled her eyes as she got up.

"Right?! Although, maybe she could use a different color palette. Black doesn't fit her as well as it fits you," Monique laughed as she heaved to her feet.

"Obviously, doy. I rock in green and black," Shego smirked, planting a hand on her hip.

"Well, I work at Club Banana. If you ever want to grab something from the store, just let me know and I can use my employee discount for you," Monique said with a smile.

"I don't think I'll be shopping publicly anytime soon, but thank you," Shego nodded, inwardly touched by the small act of kindness. "Enough chitchat, let's start with the basics."

"Hold up girlfriend. Before we start, I just gotta know, but why are you offering to train me?" Monique asked curiously with a quirked eyebrow.

"You're way more tolerable than Stopabble," Shego said flatly, shrugging as if it were obvious.

"Ron's a great guy, but I'll take that as a compliment," Monique chuckled.

Monique showed Shego the moves she knew while the pale villainess corrected her form and taught her some basic skills. And to her surprise, Shego actually called the fashion diva by her actual name.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

A few days of training passed and the four were found exercising and sparring for hours atop the building. Monique had chosen to skip school until Shego had found a new apartment, and the pale villainess was still searching with no luck. Wade had kept them updated on his search, but he still hadn't found any trace or lead to where DNAmy could be. It was around midday when Ron and Monique practically collapsed on the cool concrete in a pool of sweat.

"KP, I'm beat. Can we call it for today?" Ron panted, wiping his glistening forehead with a sleeve of his soaked shirt.

"Sure, Ron. I'm sorry, did I work you too hard?" Kim asked as she helped him to his feet.

He staggered and swayed for a bit until the petite redhead steadied him by putting her arm around his shoulder. Grinning sheepishly at his best friend, he laughed when she ruffled his blonde hair playfully.

"Nah, it's awesome to be doing hero work again! I'm stoked to kick some bad guy butt with all this training we're doing. Booyah!" Ron cheered tiredly with Rufus lounging on his shoulder. The rodent had practiced his tiny fighting moves with the two teens, and he was as exhausted as Ron.

"Same here, it's been spankin' training with you again!" Kim glanced over to see Monique trudging over to them. "Ha, I think Shego worked Monique pretty hard, she looks even more tired than you."

Shego hung back in the middle of the roof and watched Monique drag herself over to Kim and Ron with amusement.

"Damn girl! Shego's tough!" Monique exclaimed as she rested her hands on her knees. Her dark mocha hair had lost its usual bouncy curls and was now frizzy with tufts sticking up in random places.

"No kidding," Kim agreed.

"I'm so glad I have Kim to help me train," Ron smiled gratefully at Kim for not sticking him with Shego.

"If Shego's been too rough with you, you can always come and train with us," Kim offered as she gently guided the two exhausted teens to the stairs.

"Girlfriend, thanks, but I like practicing with Shego. She's a great teacher, and we have a lot in common," Monique nodded almost proudly.

"Wait, you actually _like_ practicing with her?" Ron asked incredulously, his jaw hanging open.

"I told you! Now all we have to do is get her to like Ron, and it'll really be a party," Kim laughed as she gently nudged the blonde boy.

"If Shego's at that party, I don't want to be invited," Ron huffed but couldn't suppress a goofy smile.

"You coming, Kim?" Monique asked with a quirked eyebrow when she saw Kim stop.

"No thanks, I think I'll train a little bit with Shego first," Kim shook her head as she glimpsed over her shoulder to see the waiting villainess.

"Now _that's _a party," Monique remarked with a wink as she and Ron disappeared from the roof.

_What was she implying with that?_

Kim stood dumbfounded by the comment for a moment before roughly shaking her head to clear her confusion. She jogged over to Shego who was studying her nails disinterestedly, her expression unreadable.

"How's Monique doing?" Kim asked as she reached the villainess.

"Better than I expected. She has a lot of talent with upper body attacks, but she's still wobbly with kicks," Shego shrugged.

"She'll get better, she loves practicing with you," Kim informed with a small smile.

"She just likes to gossip about you with me," Shego sneered with a teasing glint in her emerald eyes.

"What's there to talk about me?" Kim laughed.

"Lots of things. Like your dreadful old outfit for example, and how my taste in fashion is ten times better than yours," Shego smirked.

"Are we still going on about that?" Kim asked exasperatedly, rolling her olive eyes.

"You'll be hearing about it till you die, Princess," Shego nodded and playfully shoved Kim. "Now, are we sparring or not?"

"I'm ready for round two of kicking your ass," Kim said and jumped into a fighting stance.

"Bite me," Shego dared, leaping gracefully into her own fighting stance.

The sparring between the two girls was like a dance, both girls dodging and parrying with sharp movements. Days of practicing had sharpened their rusty skills, and now each attack or block was made with precision. They moved around each other like water, each fluid transition performed swiftly with conviction.

Shego occasionally threw her usual banter or sexual innuendos in attempts to throw off her opponent, which Kim learned to either counter or ignore. Their injuries had pretty much fully healed so hits were easier to take and counterattack. Had someone been watching them from afar, one might've guessed they were fighting to the death. But getting closer, no one could miss the wide smiles on both of their brightened faces.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

The baby blue sky transformed into a lavender canvas, layers of coral and magentas painted onto its smooth surface. Rays of orange-gold stretched across Middleton, basking the building with the rich hues of fire hearths. A promise of dawn coming after the night has ended was made as the grateful sun slowly sunk beneath the horizon. Silhouettes of cawing birds flew aimlessly over the glowing sky, letting the chilly breeze gently guide them home.

Kim sat a few inches away from Shego, sitting on the roof of Monique's apartment complex. Her legs dangled over the edge precariously, and she gripped the cool concrete to avoid tipping over. The two girls chatted about random topics as they watched the breathtaking sunset, overlooking the busy streets and people milling about. Kim remembered the last time she was in this position back at Shego's apartment, but back when she was sitting on that building's roof, she was alone.

"The thrill of villainy is like freedom. No one tells you what to do or what you can't do," Shego said, continuing the conversation about their different paths.

"But isn't being a wanted criminal in 11 countries kind of, I don't know, bad?" Kim asked, still gazing at the glowing orb of light sliding down the horizon.

"The world isn't all black and white, Princess. Just like life isn't always separated and defined solely on what's "good" and "bad," Shego attempted to explain.

"What do you mean?" Kim questioned with a small frown.

"There's always a gray area to things. It's a confusing and undetermined area where you have to read the fine print instead of looking at the context," Shego replied.

"I don't think I understand. I thought everything that's illegal is bad," Kim said with a light laugh.

"Do you know the story of Robin Hood?" Shego asked after a minute of silence.

"Yeah, I do."

"Well, Robin Hood stole from the rich to give to the poor, right? Is that good because he was helping those in need, or bad because he was stealing and breaking the law?" Shego prompted as she let Kim ponder about that.

"I… I don't know," Kim admitted after a while, shaking her head a bit.

"Exactly, the answer's not supposed to be simple and straightforward. You have to really think hard about it, but even after you do, it's still foggy and unclear. It's the gray area," Shego stated with a satisfied expression, feeling proud of herself for explaining it so well.

"So sometimes breaking the law can be good," Kim confirmed with a tiny smile, starting to understand a bit better. "Just like how I'm breaking it now."

"Pumpkin, it's ok. You know, not every villain or criminal is bad," Shego said with a half-laugh.

"I already know that," Kim said softly, looking directly into Shego's sparkling emerald eyes.

"Are you implying that I'm "good?" Shego sneered as she poked Kim's forehead teasingly.

"Is that "bad?" Kim asked as Shego nodded vigorously. "Because someone once taught me about the gray area in life and people. And how nothing can be classified as just "good" or "bad."

"Ha! Using my own lesson against me now huh?" Shego laughed wholeheartedly.

"I learned from the best," Kim grinned and lightly punched the pale thief's arm.

"Guess I'm stuck in the gray area then," Shego sighed with a shake of her head.

"Guess I'm stuck in there with you," Kim chuckled with a small smile.

"Whoopdy-doo. I think the gray area just got a lot worse," Shego snickered with a daring gleam in her eyes.

"I'm hurt, Shego," Kim blinked away feigned tears.

"I hope so," Shego teased with a grin.

"You have a nice smile, you should use it more often," Kim blurted out suddenly before she could stop herself.

"I smile a lot when I set things on fire," Shego looked surprised at Kim's statement but quickly regained her cool and snarky demeanor. "You should smile a lot less, it's so bright it's blinding me."

"I'll try, but the aspect of potentially blinding you has me intrigued," Kim replied in awe and smiled wider, earning a light laugh from the Shego.

With the disappearing sun came the chill of the approaching night, and Kim started to shiver from the icy wind licking around her petite body. Glancing briefly over at the cold teen, Shego sighed as she inwardly warmed herself. Waves of heat emanated from her pale, lithe figure, spreading throughout Kim like a welcoming embrace with strong arms. The redhead instinctively leaned over slightly, letting their shoulders brush each other as she relished in the inviting warmth. The close contact was comfortable and neither girl moved away from the tender touch.

_I'm just leaning over for survival purposes. I don't want to freeze to death after all._

"Shego?" Kim asked slowly.

"Hm?" Shego turned her head to look sideways at the teen.

_I think now's the best time to clear up things about the incident. _

Kim studied the dissolving light being washed by a velvety blanket of night, twirling her thumbs nervously. Stars scattered across the indigo sky, replacing the warm golden glow with a pale light. The teen hero searched her mind desperately, grasping the right words to form the next few critical sentences.

"Kimmie, what is it?" Shego asked after Kim hadn't spoken in a while.

"Well, I- Uhm I just wanted to say-" Kim started anxiously.

_Damn this is hard. What do I say? "I'm so sorry for almost murdering you, please forgive me?" _

Shego continued to wait patiently, studying Kim's nervous squirms with a small frown.

"I-I just want you to know-" Kim began after a deep breath of the crisp, cool air.

A loud beeping sounded from the teen hero's jacket pocket, piercing through the peaceful evening. The two girls were startled and jumped slightly from the sudden noise. Kim felt a wave of disappointment and avoided Shego's questioning emerald eyes as she pulled out the ringing Kimmunicator.

_Welp, there goes my opportunity._

"Monique," Kim informed Shego as she checked the caller ID. She picked up the phone and rested the device gently against her ear. "Hey, Monique."

"Hey Kim, are you and Shego on the roof still?" Monique asked calmly.

"Yeah, did you want us to come down now?" Kim questioned as she stood up and gestured for Shego to do the same.

"I think that would be best. Someone's at the door right now, so you two should come and talk to them," Monique said tensely, her voice strained and anxious.

"Who is it?" Kim asked, narrowing her eyes when she heard her friend's tone.

"Global Justice."

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	21. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Shego has a past with Dr. Director? :0 More will be revealed on that in later chapters!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 20_

"_Shego!_ What are you _doing?_" Kim hissed as Shego stomped past her down the hallway.

_She's just walking towards them like she owns the place!_

"Two options, Princess. I'm going to talk with old Betty over there or just blow shit up. Whichever opportunity arises first," Shego grunted as she ignored Kim's protests.

Around 20 Global Justice officers crowded outside Monique's apartment door, Dr. Director standing near the front of the pack. She was speaking lowly with Monique and Ron, glancing sideways to see Shego sauntering over. Will Du spotted her almost immediately and urgently ordered an officer to arrest her.

The officer complied and blocked off the villainess, only to be roughly shoved aside by her. More GJ agents quickly stepped in, and Will grabbed her arms, preparing a pair of specialized handcuffs.

"Gah! Get off me you uptight dipshits! I need to talk to Betty," Shego snarled as she contemplated burning through his strong hold.

"Wait. Release Shego," Dr. Director ordered as she narrowed her eye at Kim jogging down the hall.

"But we got her-" Will tried to argue, his hands still firmly clamped like pincers around Shego's pale arms.

"Agent Du, let her go. That's an order. I need a few minutes to speak with her," Dr. Director interrupted and took a threatening step forward. As Will tried to drag Shego towards the brunette, Dr. Director added, "_Alone."_

With a tense nod, Will reluctantly let go of Shego and pushed her towards Dr. Director. The pale thief flipped him off and continued to glare at the brunette with dangerous emerald eyes.

"Dr. Director, I can explain! Ron and Monique didn't do anything," Kim ran over and stepped in front of Ron and Monique, casually shielding them from the questioning officers.

"KP, thanks but we can handle ourselves," Ron insisted, attempting to pull her away.

Before Dr. Director could respond, Will angrily blocked Kim, towering over her petite form with a menacing expression.

"We don't need your excuses _Ms. Possible_. You and your little villain friend are getting arrested either way," Will growled.

"No one is getting arrested until I've finished speaking with Shego, Agent Du," Dr. Director stated. With a last glance at a distraught Kim, she whipped around and gestured for Shego to follow.

The pale thief cast a swift, neutral glimpse at Kim, her emerald eyes reassuring and determined. Kim gazed back sadly but was snapped out of her daze by a very furious Will.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"What are you doing to her Shego?" Dr. Director asked once they were outside, standing on the small balcony with stairs leading to the roof. Night had finally settled upon Middleton and cast the two girls in shadows, dimly lit by only a single outdoor light.

"Doing to her?" Shego parroted with a vexed frown.

"Kim, I mean. What have you done to make her help you? Do you have her on some sort of mind control or something?" Dr. Director interrogated.

"Betty, you know that I wouldn't fuck with mind control on anyone, _especially_ Kimmie. That shit is way beneath me," Shego scoffed with an offended look.

"It's _Dr. Director, _Shego_. _What have you offered her then? Did you threaten her? You don't seriously expect me to believe she's helping you solely from the good in her heart," Dr. Director pressed, the disbelief clear in her even voice.

"I didn't offer her anything, and I sure as hell didn't threaten her. Go ahead and ask her yourself if you don't believe me," Shego huffed.

"Is there money involved? A job opportunity perhaps that she doesn't know about?"

"No. There's no practical benefit for me aside from the satisfaction of getting revenge," Shego replied coldly.

"Then why is she helping you? Kim wouldn't go out of her way in breaking the law to help a criminal- a criminal who's been her enemy for years," Dr. Director argued.

"Ask her if you really wanna know. All of the villains are after the both of us, and the bitch DNAmy is currently targeting me. We figured we'd find out what's happening better together as allies instead of enemies," Shego explained.

"The villains? Tell me what happened, Shego," Dr. Director urged as she pulled out a small device, ready to take notes.

Shego groaned and grudgingly recalled the events at Drakken's secret lair, leading up to what was happening now. She kept the retelling brief and vague, leaving out the more personal details.

"What are they planning?" Dr. Director inquired.

"How the fuck would I know?" Shego retorted.

"Last time I checked, you work for Dr. Drakken."

"I don't work for _anyone_ anymore, especially not that backstabbing blue idiot," Shego snarled menacingly.

"Ok. What's in it for you in this "partnership" with Kim?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"You and I both know you'd never willingly help someone unless it somehow benefits you. Or you get something out of it," Dr. Director replied.

"I think not dying is a pretty good fucking benefit. As much as I hate to admit it, we work better when we're not constantly fighting each other" Shego confessed with a snort.

"Shego, you know I don't want to arrest you. I never do." Dr. Director sighed as she rested her forehead in her hand. "Having to arrest you is on my list of the top 10 things I hate to do."

"I'm incredibly honored to be on that list. Do I get an official certificate or something?" Shego asked with wide mocking eyes.

"Cut the sarcasm for once in your life. It's not going to help your case," Dr. Director advised.

"Does it look like I care about your opinion?" Shego snapped.

"The law requires me to take you into custody for your many- _many _criminal offenses," Dr. Director shook her head with what felt like disappointment.

"Then just take me in already, damn it!"

Shego sighed with irritation, running a hand through her messy raven hair.

"Just… don't arrest Kimmie. It's not her fault I dragged her into this mess with me."

"She's broken the law for willingly associating with you though. You're not holding her hostage, so she's with you voluntarily," Dr. Director pointed out.

"She's not a criminal, she didn't do anything bad!" Shego protested.

"It's still illegal regardless of who commits the crime." Dr. Director reminded gently.

"I can't believe you're still like this! Even when I was young, all you saw was black and white or good and bad! There was never an in-between. You haven't changed in the slightest!" Shego raved.

"What Kim did was illegal," Dr. Director repeated, forcing down her anger from the degrading comments.

"Yes, Kimmie did something "wrong," but she did it for something "morally right," Shego argued.

"And what is this "morally right" thing?" Dr. Director raised an eyebrow, curious as to why Shego was defending the teen hero who used to be her sworn nemesis.

"Like saving me from bleeding to death on her bedroom floor!" Shego admitted, her snippy voice high with embarrassment.

"So Kim does have a good heart, I'm glad she acted on it. I know you've still got some good in you too, Shego. You wouldn't be helping her if you didn't really care," Dr. Director remarked.

"I _don't _care, and I'm not a fucking hero Betty! Stop trying to turn me into something I'm not!" Shego gnashed her teeth.

"Has DNAmy struck recently?" Dr. Director asked as she quickly swerved back to the main subject, knowing Shego's temper was boiling.

"She wrecked my apartment! Stole a tiger from the zoo, changed it into a mutant killing machine, presented it to me in a gift basket, blah blah blah," Shego rambled.

"Was she there herself?"

"Nope, too wussy to face me herself I guess. But there was a camera attached to the creature's collar. We think she was recording my fighting or something," Shego informed.

"Strange. I would've expected a direct attack if she intended to kill," Dr. Director played with the strap of her black eyepatch, her round face scrunched up in thought.

"Yeah, no shit. Are you going to arrest me now or what?" Shego asked tiredly.

"I don't like arresting you, Shego. It's even harder now that Kim's involved and I now know the context of this "partnership."

"Where are you going with this Betty? I don't have all fucking day," Shego tapped her foot impatiently.

"As head of Global Justice, I have the authority to offer you a deal," Dr. Director began after a few seconds of careful contemplation.

"What deal?" Shego narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I'm assuming Kim is back to doing hero work with tracking these villains. And you're helping her with that correct?"

"Yeah, well, I kinda have to since it directly affects me too, doy," Shego reminded flatly.

"Good, stay on the right side of the law with her. I'm not saying you have to become a hero, but helping Kim and Global Justice find these villains is already a noble thing," Dr. Director nodded approvingly.

"Not very noble when I'm just doing this because those idiots are after me too."

"No matter what the motivation, you're still doing the right thing. And… I'm proud of you for that," Dr. Director lowered her voice.

"I don't need your empty praise, Betty. I'm not a kid anymore," Shego spat.

"I know that," Dr. Director said, her voice laced with a hint of sorrow.

"Your words mean nothing to me, so don't even try and twist them into my head," Shego growled with stinging venom.

"Wasn't trying to."

"Good. What the hell were you getting to then?" Shego questioned, interested to hear the rest.

"I know you like things straightforward, so here's the bottom line. Keep helping Kim and GJ with these threats, and I think you've come close to repaying your past crimes," Dr. Director laid out her idea.

"Yeah, I don't think beating up a few pathetic loons repays for all the things I've done," Shego said bluntly.

"Maybe not. Although you've never killed anyone, your thievery has added up over the years," Dr. Director agreed.

"Then what's the fucking point of this?" Shego questioned, massaging her temples in frustration.

"The point is that, from what I understand, this sounds like a threat bigger than anything else we've ever faced. You claimed you overheard the villains working for someone higher up, correct?" Dr. Director asked for confirmation. When Shego nodded, she continued. "They might be after you and Kim specifically, but I have a feeling this effects more than that somehow. Having you on our side could be significant in eliminating this dangerously unknown threat."

"So? You'll just arrest me in the end anyway," Shego shrugged nonchalantly.

"You already know I don't want to arrest you," Dr. Director sighed again.

"You keep saying that."

"I keep saying that because it's true, and you should understand that. If you help Global Justice, then I can clear your criminal record and give you a fresh start. You'd have repaid the world for your crimes and in a sense, paid your debt," Dr. Director said.

"There's no fucking way I'd risk my life to prance around with you and your prissy little justice program," Shego stated distastefully.

"Then do it for Kim. Her world just flipped upside down, and she's terrified of getting arrested along with you," Dr. Director urged.

"I don't give two shits about what she thinks," Shego grumbled.

"You obviously do if you're still allying with Kim and her friends," Dr. Director said with a knowing glint in her eye.

"Whatever," Shego averted her eyes as she turned to look at the blur of cars speeding down below. "She hates me anyway, so I don't care."

"No, she doesn't," Dr. Director said assuringly.

"She does. She said so on the night of the tower," Shego muttered with a deep frown, trying to push away the dreaded memories.

"If Kim truly hated you, she wouldn't have risked her life and her freedom to help you," Dr. Director reminded softly.

"…I know," Shego whispered into the chilled wind, letting her words drift away into the night. Dr. Director regarded the villainess with a tiny spark of amazement, feeling surprised to see how much the tower incident affected her.

"So, do you accept this deal? Or do I have to allow Agent Du to take you away?" Dr. Director prompted loudly, regaining her formal posture as she held out her hand.

"Kimmie won't be arrested, right?" Shego asked with a slight shake of her head to clear the troubling thoughts, a daring glint returning to her eyes.

"No, she's done a lot for the world. So despite my strong belief that what she did was wrong and impulsive, I'll let this one occasion slide," Dr. Director nodded. "Do we have an agreement on this deal or not?"

"Oh hell with it. _Fine_," Shego begrudgingly shook her outstretched hand after a moment, muttering profanities under her breath.

"Excellent, glad to have you back Shego," Dr. Director smiled slightly.

"I'm _not_ back on your dumb hero program. And I never will be."

"Dutifully noted," Dr. Director turned towards the door, only to pause and whip her head around. "Oh, and one more thing"

"What the hell do you want from me now, Betty?" Shego groaned, feeling a wave of exhaustion from sparring with Kim earlier.

"If I find out you betrayed me or Kim, I'll arrest you immediately and the punishment will be severe for all of your past crimes. No questions asked," Dr. Director warned with a threatening gleam in her darkened eye.

"I don't mind betraying you or your stupid justice system," Shego growled. When Dr. Director raised an eyebrow promptly, Shego looked down and lowered her voice to hardly a whisper, allowing the raven strands of hair to fall over her face. "But I will never betray Kim."

The brunette narrowed her dark brown eyes and studied Shego, visibly softening when she saw the sincerity in the villainess's twinkling emerald eyes.

"That's good enough for me," Dr. Director smiled and put a hand on the villainess's shoulder, reminiscing about the times when she was so much smaller. "Thank you, Shego."

"Don't touch me, Betty. I'm not the same dumb kid from before," Shego angrily shrugged off the comforting hand. "I'm only helping the "good guys" because there's no better option, and I was going to burn all the villains' pathetic asses anyway."

"And Kim has nothing to do with it? Does this "partnership" with her mean nothing to you?" Dr. Director asked in a disbelieving tone.

"I don't have to answer that. Kim doesn't fucking care about us being allies. It's just a nice convenience to her in the end," Shego said bitterly, ignoring the tiny voice in her head that pointed out how wrong she was.

"I doubt it Shego, and you _know _that's not true. Kim wouldn't have voluntarily helped a wanted criminal if she didn't care in the slightest," Dr. Director insisted.

"Oh my god, _whatever. _When does my criminal record get cleared?"

"As soon as I check in with Kim and my team." Dr. Director answered, checking the time on her watch.

"_Spectacular. _I can finally go shopping at my local Smarty Mart instead of the black market, hip hip hooray. Are we done now?" Shego rolled her eyes with exasperation.

"Yes, but I'll need to speak with Kim momentarily before my officers and I leave," Dr. Director nodded before heading back into the hallway, Shego trailing behind.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Mr. Du, I-" Monique started, trying to size up the dark-blue uniformed, tall man.

"It's _Agent _Du," Will flashed his shiny badge pretentiously.

"Ok, _Agent Du,_ Kim didn't force me to house her or Shego. I offered my place voluntarily and against Kim's will," Monique informed through grit teeth.

"Monique, _please_, let me handle this. I don't want you getting in trouble because of me," Kim pleaded, desperately trying to pile the blame on herself.

"Ms. Monique, that is still a crime nonetheless. Housing a- excuse me, _two _wanted criminals is highly illegal," Will stated, glancing at Kim with a look of evident scorn.

"Will, this has nothing to do with Ron or Monique, leave them out of it, please. I take full responsibility for my impulsive actions," Kim hung her head guiltily as she gently pushed Monique behind with Ron. "Their only crime was being the greatest friends I could ask for. This is my fault."

"It's _Agent Du_, Kim. And I don't care about your petty excuses and pity parties. You and your friends are all still getting arrested when Dr. Director gets back," Will promised.

"No, they won't," Dr. Director said as she strode into the packed hallway with confident steps. "Agent Du, stand down and stop arguing with these kids. No one will be getting arrested or charged for anything today."

Shego appeared from behind the brunette and strolled past a shocked Will, throwing him a smug expression. Her emerald eyes twinkled with pride as she stopped and stood next to Kim, daring the GJ officers to touch her.

_What did Shego do to get Dr. Director to change her mind?_

"Dr. Director, we have four suspects here who can be identified as _criminals._ It's our job and duty to arrest them," Will argued with a confused frown.

"We have a bigger issue that needs to be addressed with the whole team, Will," Dr. Director put her hand on his shoulder. The lean, young man was surprised to be called by his first name by his superior, and his frown deepened. "These guys aren't the "criminals" we should be focusing on."

"I don't believe I'm following what you're saying," Will admitted.

"I'll explain everything later when we get back to headquarters," Dr. Director promised and scanned her team of officers. "Move out, team!"

With Will in the lead, they shuffled awkwardly down the hall and grouped into the elevators, murmuring amongst themselves. Dr. Director hung behind and pulled Kim aside quickly, making sure they were out of earshot from everyone in the hallway.

"Dr. Director, I don't know what just happened. But I can explain," Kim hung her head, feeling slightly ashamed.

"There's no need, Kim. Shego already handled that for you," Dr. Director nodded but then studied the teen hero closely. "She hasn't tried anything with you, right? No attempts at anything?"

"Aside from her endlessly making fun of me and sarcastic comments? Nope, she's all good," Kim confirmed.

"Sounds exactly like the Shego I remember," Dr. Director remarked with a lighthearted laugh.

"What did she say to you?" Kim asked curiously.

"I think that's something she can tell you about herself after I leave," Dr. Director replied.

"I know it's a bit too late for this, but I'm sorry about breaking the law to help her. I let you down," Kim said suddenly, her expression immediately turned sour.

"For saving and protecting Shego when she needed it most? That's hardly something to be sorry for."

"But I broke the law. I ran away from home with a wanted criminal. I put my best friends in danger. I-," Kim choked out as she ran through the list, feeling guilt cloud her mind.

"No hero is perfect, Kim. Yes, you acted on impulse and emotions instead of thinking things through, but that doesn't mean what you did was inherently "bad." I know you always have good intentions," Dr. Director smiled warmly at the distressed teen, touching her arm comfortingly.

"I still feel pretty shitty. Sorry, excuse my language," Kim sighed with a tiny smile.

"It's a naturally expected feeling, but don't think too much of it."

"Am I still in trouble?" Kim asked as if she was a little kid in a time-out.

"With me? No, Global Justice still has your back. But with your parents? That, I'm not so sure about," Dr. Director chuckled.

"Do you think I should tell them what happened?" Kim inquired nervously.

"I'm not telling you what to do Kim. But if you want my honest opinion, I believe having your family by your side will be more beneficial thank you think. They contacted us many times," Dr. Director informed gently.

"Is that how you knew where to find me?" Kim inquired.

"Yes, they informed us that Monique was one of your closest friends. We contacted her parents for her address. All of your parents are extremely worried."

"I know, and I feel terrible from hiding from them. It's just that this whole sitch is so complicated and confusing, not to mention insane," Kim rested her hand on her forehead.

"I'm sure they'd understand if you tried to explain."

"I'll try, thank you for everything Dr. Director," Kim nodded gratefully.

"It's my pleasure. But is there any possible way I can convince you to sit this one out and let Global Justice handle all the fighting?" Dr. Director asked hopefully.

"Absolutely no chance. And I think Shego can agree with me on that one," Kim laughed.

"I figured. But be careful, Kim, and let me know if you need anything,"

"I will, thank you so much again."

The two said their goodbyes and Dr. Director disappeared down the elevator, leaving Kim alone with Shego in the hallway.

"Where are Ron and Monique?" Kim questioned as she walked over to Shego.

"Betty told them to call their parents. So I'm assuming that's what they're doing right now," Shego informed, heading back into the apartment.

"Yeah, I'll have to call mine too," Kim sighed with a light laugh, already dreading the phone call. "That reminds me, why do you call Dr. Director "Betty" instead of her professional title?"

"Because I have absolutely no respect for her or dumb titles. But she's known me since I was a kid, and she used to be like a mentor or older sister figure to me when I was young and dumb," Shego explained with a shrug.

"Really?" Kim asked, feeling surprised.

"Yeah, we have a long history together," Shego noticed Kim's quizzical expression and sighed tiredly. "It's not something I want to talk about now, Pumpkin. Maybe next time."

Kim nodded as she walked past Monique's room, hearing loud voices ring from the inside.

_Ron and Monique must be getting yelled at good by their parents on the phone. I can't wait for my turn._

The anxious teen hero sat next to Shego on the couch as she researched more apartments. Kim passed her Kimmunicator back and forth between her hands, trying to work up the courage to call her folks.

"Are they seriously that scary?" Shego asked as she regarded Kim's fiddling.

"I've disappeared from home with a wanted criminal. Of course, they'd be worried beyond belief," Kim sighed.

"Actually Kimmie, I'm not wanted for anything anymore," Shego chirped, flashing Kim a smug smile. When the redhead frowned in confusion, Shego explained her "deal" with Dr. Director.

"Wait, weren't you going to track down the villains and beat them senseless either way?" Kim asked with amusement.

"Yeah, but now I'm getting something else out of it," Shego smirked.

"Figures you'd only be in it for the benefits," Kim laughed good-heartedly, already knowing what Shego was like.

After a minute of deep contemplation, Kim reluctantly called her mom's number. The dial didn't even finish buzzing once before her mom's frantic voice screeched from the other line. Her dad joined in on the call a moment after, and their worried voices echoed throughout the living room despite the phone not being on speaker.

Not really caring that Shego could hear the entire conversation, Kim spent the next half hour explaining, apologizing, and getting chewed out by her parents. Ron and Monique had emerged from the room and immediately grimaced when they heard Kim's furious parents. They cast her encouraging half-smiles before slowly backing away into the safety of Monique's room as if they were in a lion's cage.

Once her parents had finished their rampaging rants and onslaught of interrogations, Kim slumped back into the couch like a deflated balloon. Ron and Monique poked their heads carefully out to see if the yelling had stopped, and they sat next to the teen hero with Shego.

"Glad to know your folks took the news so well," Shego commented sarcastically as Kim rested her head into her hands.

"They want us all over at my house for dinner tonight. I'm expecting a big punishment or grounding," Kim groaned, terrified of what they'd decide to do with her.

"A punishment is almost certain," Ron sighed.

"You're all still such kids, it's hilarious," Shego sneered at the teens.

"_We're 18_!" They cried simultaneously.

"18-year-olds who still get grounded by their parents," Shego retorted with amusement.

"You make it sound like you're _so_ much older than us, Shego," Kim rolled her eyes.

"Wait, girlfriend, how old _are _you?" Monique asked with a frown.

"I'm guessing _really_ old," Ron mumbled under his breath.

"Take a guess," Shego dared, narrowing her emerald eyes into tiny slits.

"27?" Monique guessed.

"33," Ron stated, feeling confident in his answer.

Kim laughed as Shego bared her teeth, her wide eyes glittering dangerously.

"33?! Subtract 10 years from that buffoon and you got your answer," Shego snarled.

"You're _23_?!" Ron practically shrieked, his voice high with disbelief.

"Why does everyone think I'm in my 30s? Do I seriously look that old?!" Shego asked incredulously.

"Woah, calm down, girl. I think it's because you act mature for your age, so people automatically assume you're older than you actually are," Monique reasoned.

"_Mature_ is not a word I'd use to describe Shego," Ron snorted but wheezed as Monique elbowed him sharply in the side.

"Please save some of that maturity for when we go to my house later," Kim pleaded as Shego reeled back in shock.

"_Wait. _I have to come to your prissy little family dinner too?!" Shego looked at Kim as if she'd grown another head.

"Please and thank you!"

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	22. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Shego's temper escalated from like a 3 to a 27 in less than 3 paragraphs. Her mood swings are getting the plot rolling oh nO. Also yes, I know her anger in this chapter went really overboard, but it's necessary for the rest of the story I'm sOrry ahHHH

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 21_

"Kimmie, remind me again why I'm going to your stupid family dinner," Shego grumbled as she tilted the hovercraft towards a cluster of houses.

The windows of houses emitted a soft glow of light, washing the dank roofs with golden hues. A gentle breeze billowed through the rich night, carrying fine dewdrops of a promising rain to come.

"It's not _stupid_, Shego. And you're coming because you're involved with this whole sitch," Kim chided. "Plus, the reason I'm in trouble with my parents is partially your fault."

"You were the one who decided to help me," Shego pointed out as the ship descended faster.

"You were the one who crashed into my room in the first place," Kim reminded.

"Uh- guys? Can we save the arguing for after we talk to Kim's parents?" Ron asked hesitantly from the backseat. Monique sat as far away from him as she could, terrified of the possibility he might vomit on her new clothes.

"Girlfriend, he's right. I doubt your parents would be very happy to see you two bickering like children," Monique added with a light laugh.

"Oh, sure. Sorry guys, I'm just a bit nervous I guess," Kim softened her expression and shot them an apologetic look.

"Your parents care a lot about you, it's understandable they're upset," Monique comforted.

"I know, I just hope they're not too upset," Kim said with an anxious chuckle.

Following Kim's instructions, Shego landed the hovercraft in a park not far from her house. Her landing was as smooth as a hot knife through butter, and Ron thanked the heavens for that. After giving the blonde boy a few moments to hold down his queasiness, they all strolled over to the brightly lit house.

"Princess, just letting you know that if they kill you, I'm not carrying your dead ass body out," Shego sneered, hanging around the back of the group.

"How gracious of you," Kim muttered, hesitating for a brief second before ringing the doorbell.

Not even two seconds passed before the front door swung open, the hinges creaking noisily. Ann, Kim's mother, appeared and without saying a word, rushed to give her daughter a bone-crushing hug.

"KIMBERLY ANN POSSIBLE! You're in big trouble, young lady!" Ann scolded, letting go of her daughter to inspect her carefully. Despite her eyes being locked in a heated glare, lines of worry and relief etched the depths.

James, Kim's father, was calmer and gave Kim a lighter hug, also promising various punishments.

"Hi, Drs. Mr. and Mrs. Possible," Ron and Monique greeted. Rufus hopped onto Ron's shoulder and chattered with excitement, waving a tiny paw at Kim's parents.

"Hello, Ron and Monique. I'm glad to see you two are both safe," Ann greeted warmly.

"Your parents were as worried as us, Ron. I'd suggest going to see them later," James added as the blonde boy nodded.

Shego stood in the back awkwardly and shuffled her feet as she watched the reunion, not quite sure if she should say anything. Kim's parents quickly ushered everyone inside, and the Tweebs stumbled down the stairs to meet them.

"KIM!" Tim and Jim hollered as they tackled their sister, sending her crashing into Shego.

"What the hell Princess?!" Shego growled as she caught Kim in her arms, pushing the teen back onto her feet.

"Ah! Thanks, Shego," Kim brushed herself off as the pale villainess scoffed at the boys, remembering them from the first night.

"Tweebs! I'm happy to see you too, but you need to be more careful inside the house!" Kim chided as Ron and Monique snickered quietly.

"Kim, I believe you have yet to introduce someone," James reminded, looking pointedly at Shego with narrowed eyes.

"Oh right, uh- Shego these are my parents, Drs. James and Ann," Kim nodded at them respectively. "Mom and Dad, this is Shego, my uhmm-," Kim thought about it for a moment and then coughed.

_What even is Shego to me? An ally I suppose? But it's only temporary, isn't it?_

"I'm assuming you're the villainess Kim was telling us about on the phone earlier?" Ann asked as she looked Shego up and down, regarding her nervousness thoughtfully.

"That would be me," Shego confirmed gruffly.

"And you've been letting her stay at your apartment correct?" Janes questioned.

"Until it got attacked by a mutant scorpion tiger, yes," Shego grunted, getting more uncomfortable by the second.

"How about we talk more about it over dinner?" Kim suggested hastily, sensing Shego's growing discomfort.

"Sounds like a good idea. You all can run through the parts of the story that Kim left out on the phone," Ann said as she led them to the dining room.

"I hate gatherings like these. I feel so out of place," Shego mumbled into Kim's ear.

"It'll be fine. I already explained to my parents earlier that you aren't an enemy," Kim said with a tiny smile.

"_Fantastic_. Let's just get this over with," Shego rolled her eyes and followed Kim to an empty seat.

There was a wide spread of already-filled plates laid out, and the twins, Ron, and Rufus dug in like ravenous animals. The others were more hesitant until Kim urged them to eat, but Shego still looked disinterested at her full plate.

"Are you ok?" Kim leaned over and whispered.

"I'm a ray of sunshine. Can't you tell?" Shego muttered sarcastically.

"My mistake. Sometimes I forget how cheery you can be," Kim replied dryly.

Ann and James started by asking Ron and Monique more about the situation, deliberately restraining themselves from bombarding Shego with questions. Once they were finished with the two teens, they turned their attention to the pale thief and cast her blank stares, the tension turning thick.

"So, Shego. How's the criminal life working for you?" Ann asked nonchalantly as if she were asking about the weather, taking a long sip of water.

"I'm actually not wanted for anything anymore. Bet- Uhm _Dr. Director_ cleared my permanent record because I was helping Kimmie, and ultimately the world, with this whole villain situation," Shego informed as she poked her food around, taking tiny bites here and there.

"Well, congratulations on that," Ann commented with a wry smile.

"Thanks," Shego grunted.

"And why did you turn to Kim that night? I believe you two were arch enemies for years before all this," James questioned.

"My apartment was too far, so she was frankly my only option if I didn't want to bleed to death," Shego sighed, obviously embarrassed about needing someone else's help.

"That reminds me," Ann whipped her head around to the twins. "You two, are grounded for a month. I can't believe you knew what happened and didn't tell us!"

The boys looked at each other and grinned, concluding that the $50 Kim bribed them had been worth it.

"Your mother's right. You should've told us immediately once you knew, a criminal in our house could've been seriously dangerous to all of us," James stated sternly as Jim and Tim muttered out a half-hearted apology.

"Kim, I know you're 18 and can take care of yourself, but you shouldn't have done something that impulsive, especially with your family at risk! She could've hurt you while you slept!" Ann cried, running through the list of horrible outcomes she formulated during the time Kim was gone.

"I would've never done anything to hurt Kimmie or her family," Shego growled lowly, feeling offended by the evident lack of respect. The teen hero glanced up from her plate and smiled a bit at the villainess, knowing what she said was true.

"How were we supposed to know that? Kim told us you fought her all the time in the past," James pointed out.

"My intent was never to kill or seriously harm her though. If I really wanted to hurt her, I could've roasted her ass in two seconds flat," Shego allowed a tiny green flame to flicker around her pointer finger, holding it up for everyone to see.

"WOAH," the twins gaped at the plasma simultaneously, leaning forward like a moth flying towards a light.

"Can you show us more of that later?" Jim asked, mesmerized by the glowing plasma.

"Imagine what we could do to our rockets if we had plasma fuel!" Tim said excitedly.

"Boys now's not the time to be talking about experiments," James ordered.

"So two seconds flat huh? I'd like to see you try," Kim dared with a sideways glance at Shego.

"Bite me, Princess," Shego smirked and extinguished the flame, much to the boy's disappointment. The two girls started playfully arguing while Kim's parents marveled at the scene, watching with intense curiosity.

"Here we go again," Ron rolled his eyes and returned to stuffing his face with food.

"Guys, I thought we agreed to save the flirty banter till after dinner," Monique whispered as Shego grinned, feeling more at ease.

"It's _not_ flirty!" Kim protested heatedly, then blinked and regained her composure when she realized her parents were still listening.

"If I may interrupt your conversation, but I don't believe we're finished with you yet Kim," Ann narrowed her eyes, trying to mask her amusement with mild anger.

"We'll let you know when we think of an appropriate punishment," James nodded with a steely gaze.

Ann and James continued to chew their daughter out while Shego, Ron, and Monique snickered at Kim's embarrassment.

"Is little Kimmie getting scolded by her parents?" Shego teased with a mocking pout.

"I'm 18!" Kim hissed, her cheeks a rosy pink.

"Do you think they might put you in a timeout chair?" Shego gasped with feigned fear at the idea.

"Her parents actually had a timeout _corner,_" Ron chirped.

"Ron, who's side are you on?" Kim asked with a playful glare.

"The fun side," Ron laughed as Shego grinned at Kim, poking her forehead jokingly.

"Guys, Kim's parents are still here," Monique warned through grit teeth, rolling her eyes with exasperation.

"Oh, right. Sorry Mom and Dad," Kim apologized sheepishly, avoiding their amused looks.

_Stop getting distracted!_

"Glad to see you all getting along so well," Ann remarked while Shego and Ron snorted, crossing their arms over their chests.

"Shego, you said your apartment got wrecked?" James asked with a raised eyebrow. When Shego nodded, he continued, "Where are you planning on staying?"

"Monique was letting us crash at her place until I found a new one," Shego shrugged.

"And how's that going?" James pressed.

"I've been looking but all of the nicer ones have no vacancy," Shego sighed irritatingly.

"Do you have any friends or family you can stay with?" Ann questioned.

"No," Shego said tersely, not wanting to discuss that personal topic.

"Hmm. Then if you truly aren't a wanted felon anymore, I insist you stay with us until you find a new apartment," James stated firmly.

"Yes, I believe I still have a lot more to ask you and Kim," Ann squinted at her daughter. "And I can help you look for a place Shego, I have friends that work in that field."

"I'd like to get to know my daughter's friends better, especially if she'll be spending a lot more time with them," James agreed.

"Stay here? With Miss Priss's family?!" Shego almost shrieked until Kim grabbed her arm hastily.

"Mom and Dad, thank you so much for dinner! Our stuff is still at Monique's apartment, could we go back to get them first?" Kim asked casually as the fashion diva tried to calm a horrified Shego down.

"Ok, but don't stay out too long," Ann said, glancing warily at the villainess.

Kim pulled Shego away from the table and pushed her out the door, everyone quickly saying their goodbyes.

Once they were outside, Shego rounded on Kim with a fixated glare.

"Not here, my parents are probably still listening," Kim said, walking briskly to the hovercraft. With a huff, Shego reluctantly pushed past the teen and led the way while Ron and Monique stayed next to Kim. The four walked on the main sidewalk, the pavement brightly lit by golden street lamps.

"Sorry you guys had to experience my parent's wrath. That was embarrassing," Kim chuckled, a faint blush still spread across her cheeks.

"Girl, it was _hilarious_. They really do treat you like a kid," Monique's eyes twinkled with mirth.

"And your mom's cooking is awesome!" Ron cheered as Rufus pumped his fists in agreement.

The flight home was unnervingly tense, and Shego mostly stayed quiet as she kept her blank emerald eyes fixed on the sky ahead. The wind howled with a powerful passion, sending its warnings of a storm to come. Monique tried her best to pull Shego into a conversation, but the pale villainess only gave terse replies.

_Ok, this is way too much discomfort for one day._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

The four were back in Monique's apartment, and Shego had immediately turned on Kim, her face contorted with anger. Ron and Monique watched the scene unfold on the side, glancing nervously between the two girls.

"There's no way in hell I'm staying with your prissy little family," Shego stated firmly.

"Shego, Monique needs to get back to school, and my parents are offering you a place to stay," Kim argued, running a hand through her wild, crimson hair in frustration. They'd been going back and forth with no success.

"I can barely tolerate you and your little friends. I'm not tolerating more Possibles!" Shego declared.

"We need to work together Shego! I'm not running away from my family again!" Kim shouted.

"I don't mind toughening it out on the streets or at a crappy ass motel until I find a decent apartment!"

"They're trying to help you!" Kim protested.

"I don't need you or your parent's fucking pity!" Shego yelled icily.

"My parents aren't pitying you, they're being reasonable. Unlike you right now!"

"They obviously don't like me! They just want to grill me for information and your dumb brother's want my plasma," Shego said distastefully.

"That's not true, they just don't know how you're like around me! They're worried. And my brothers are far from dumb, they're geniuses," Kim defended.

"Do I look like I give a fuck? Why won't your parents just let me stay anywhere else but your prison?" Shego questioned.

"They're trying to see if they can trust you. It'll only be for a few days, and they deserve to know who I'm associating with!"

"Oh ok, so there's this mutual distrust between us too. How _lovely_, I thought I was the only one who felt that way," Shego sneered sarcastically.

"Shego, I didn't mean it like that. Why are you being so difficult right now?"

"I don't want to be stuck in a house filled with Possibles!" Shego barked disdainfully.

"They're only asking for you to stay for a few days to get to know you better!"

"Well, I don't want to get to know them!"

"You destroyed my window and room and broke into my house. The least you can do is show them some respect!" Kim clenched her fists.

"I don't even treat my own parents with respect. Why should yours be any different?"

"They're just trying to help us!" Kim sighed with irritation at Shego's irrational anger.

_Why are we fighting about something as stupid as this?_

"I don't need your fucking help, _Kim_! I'm not a baby, I can take care of myself!" Shego declared.

"Says the girl who crawled into my room at 2 in the morning bleeding and dying!" Kim retorted, her cheeks bright red with anger.

Shego's hands ignited with flaring plasma, instinctively reacting to her boiling anger. The green flames licked her fingers and gave her towering form a radioactive aura, giving her body a deadly glow. Monique immediately jumped up and attempted to put herself between the two arguing girls.

"Ok, girlfriends, let's just all calm down and put away the plasma powers-" Monique's voice was strained and calm as she tried to reason. She held out her arms to distance the fuming girls, desperate to prevent an all-out brawl from breaking out.

"You just don't want me to burn your lame ass unfinished fashion projects!" Shego said with a menacing chuckle.

"Hey, now-" Monique frowned, her face turning steely at the insult.

"I could crush your pathetic dreams with a flick of my fingers, so I'd suggest you get out of my way!" Shego snarled, her tone as vicious as her words.

"Hey! Don't you dare touch her or her projects!" Kim growled and quickly stepped around Monique, facing Shego's wrath head-on.

"Why should it matter? She's wasting her money on fabric when she can barely pay for rent!" Shego exclaimed, her fury clouding all rational thoughts.

"Stop being such an asshole to her! She's been nothing but kind to your pissy ass!" Kim roughly shoved Shego back, shielding her friends from the raging villainess.

"Why you little-" Shego took a threatening step closer to Kim, her eyes glittering dangerously.

"Hey hey! Stop! Guys, no fighting!" Ron protested and stood next to Monique, looking at the two girls helplessly. Rufus was hidden in his pocket, trying to hide away from the clamoring and shouting.

"Stay out of this you dumbass buffoon!" Shego yelled not looking away from Kim's even gaze.

"Shego, _back off_! I'm sick and tired of you treating Ron and Monique like trash!" Kim hissed, standing on her tiptoes to jab a finger in Shego's face.

"I don't give a shit about what you think, Kim!" Shego glared straight into her olive eyes.

"I can't believe I even thought you were tolerable! I can't fucking stand your temper tantrums!" Kim barked as she stared right back.

"I can't fucking stand everything about you!" Shego retorted.

"What the hell has gotten into you?"

"What the hell has gotten into _you_?"

"Friends don't fucking treat each other like this!" Kim cried angrily.

"Listen up, Kim, cause I'm only going to say this once. We're not and _never_ going to be friends," Shego said coldly, her eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

"I didn't say-"

"Because last time I checked, friends don't fucking kick each other into electrical towers and watch them get shocked to death by 200,000 volts!" Shego spat venom, her plasma blaring even brighter.

The room turned dead silent, and Monique's shocked gasp echoed throughout the apartment. She stared wide-eyed at Shego while Ron clasped his hands around his mouth, feeling stunned from head to toe.

Kim felt like she was just stabbed in the gut with a rusty machete, it's pointed end twisting into her repeatedly. Her small body felt ice-cold with shock, and her numb legs stumbled backward into Ron and Monique's arms. She felt hot bile rise to her throat as wave after wave of guilt and shame coursed through her petite form, threatening to smash through the fragile walls.

The teen hero couldn't look at Shego and hung her head lowly, letting the strands of tousled red hair cover her ghostly white face. Her throat tightened, making it difficult to breathe through the choked sobs that bubbled out of her mouth.

A spark of guilt flashed in Shego's sparkling emerald eyes, but the brief emotion disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. Without another word, she briskly whipped around and stormed out of the apartment. The door slammed with an audible crack, but none of the teens flinched at the ear-piercing noise.

"Well, I'm surprised we got rid of her without anyone getting hurt," Ron commented, staring at the front door.

Monique fixed him with a glare and gently guided a dazed Kim to sit down on the couch. The teen hero continued to stare at her hands with hazy olive eyes, desperate to not tumble back down the pit of terrifying memories. Her futile attempts didn't work, and she reluctantly crashed into the darkness.

_I really fucked up this time. I hurt her._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Rain splattered mercilessly around Shego as she stomped down the dimly lit street, each heavy step sending drops of water into the thick air. Not even bothering to warm her body up with plasma, she shivered through the howling night. Her soaked, raven hair was plastered to her grimacing face, and her cloudy emerald eyes were the color of wilted leaves. Her drenched clothes hung loosely around her numb body, and she wrapped her arms around her chest protectively.

_This sucks. What were we even arguing about anyway?_

She clenched her fists tightly until her sharp nails cut into her wet, pale skin, letting small specks of blood drift into the wind. Despite her attempts to stay angry, she couldn't ignore the screaming voice in her head that blocked her thoughts with guilt. It replayed Kim's broken face over and over, causing the villainess to shake violently.

_I really fucked up. I lied to her parents, I hurt her. _

Shego's feet led her nowhere specific, and she found herself stopping dead in her tracks. She was on a dank sidewalk, a broken street lamp hanging overhead eerily. Darkness engulfed her lithe body, and she squinted through the shadows to see a tiny figure slinking in between the folds of night.

Immediately letting her hands engulf with green plasma, she softened and extinguished the flames when she saw that it was just a wild cat.

"You lost little kitty?" Shego asked, her voice low and hoarse. The midnight black cat's ears perked up with excitement, and it turned its head slowly at the sound of the pale thief's raspy voice.

As the black creature stalked slowly towards Shego, the pale villainess stumbled back when she saw that it was no ordinary house cat. The spot where its tail was supposed to be was replaced with a shark-like fin that gleamed in the pouring rain.

It sat nonchalantly a few feet in front of Shego, its lips curling up to reveal rows of serrated, white teeth. Two long fangs protruded from each side of its furry muzzle, and it continued to grin widely. Its toothy smile was unnervingly creepy.

_DNAmy._

Before Shego had time to process what was happening, the creature leaped out and bared its fangs. She instinctively tried to block its attack and jump into a defensive stance, but the mutant cat countered her moves perfectly. Like a streak of blurred shadows, it expected Shego's every move and moved with ease around her futile attacks.

Finally having enough with the game, the creature perfectly timed Shego's plasma ball and dodged it easily. It narrowed its cat eyes and struck once, nailing the side of its target's neck with two icy fangs. Strange liquid seeped out of the long shards before Shego had time to react to the sudden strike, and the cat let go before she could grab its furry body.

With her fading screams, her flickering plasma started to die, and she fell into the realm of darkness with one last lingering thought.

_I let Kim down._

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	23. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: Great job getting captured Shego. Now I'm as stressed as Kim ;0; Oh and thanks so much Monique for getting Kim to pull herself together! :D

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 22_

Kim paced back and forth, her distracted olive eyes focused on the floor. She chewed her bottom lip nervously and cast swift glances at the front door every few seconds. It was the morning after Shego stormed out of Monique's apartment, and there was still no sign of the villainess.

Deep bags lined the undersides of Kim's glazed eyes, and her wild, crimson hair was left unbrushed. Her nightmares worsened last night as she tossed and turned on Monique's couch, fighting off the invisible demons.

She informed both of her parents about the fight, and they were ok with her staying over as long as she went to school tomorrow. It didn't matter that villains were frolicking freely, because her parents insisted on education and graduation being just as important. Ron's parents were unhappier with him not coming home, but they reluctantly allowed him to stay on the condition he also returned to his usual school routine.

"Kim, honey calm down," Monique soothed from the couch.

"I can't. She's been gone all night," Kim stated as if that weren't obvious.

"Shego likes clubs and stuff like that. Maybe she went out for a drink?" Ron offered, watching Kim pace from his seat next to Monique.

"It's nearly noon," Kim replied.

"She probably partied way too hard and passed out under a bridge or something," Monique laughed halfheartedly, a bad feeling sinking in her gut.

"Or slept over with some random stranger she picked up at a bar," Ron pitched.

"This is all my fault," Kim whispered with a small shake of her head.

"No, it's not. Shego's the one who stormed out," Monique reminded gently.

"Because of me. She left, and it's all my fault," Kim repeated, her expression downcast.

"I don't think Shego really left. Her stuff is still here," Monique pointed out.

"I've never seen her that angry before. I don't think she's coming back," Kim said with a deep frown, her throat tightening.

"Hopefully it stays that way," Ron muttered to Rufus, who shrugged in return.

"Ok, that's it," Monique abruptly stood up and stomped over to the distressed redhead, blocking her path. The fashion diva grabbed Kim's shoulders to stop her pacing and shook her roughly. "Snap out of it, Kim!"

"What? Huh?" Kim blinked out of her daze, taking a few seconds to focus on Monique's stern face.

"You need to pull yourself together girl! Stop sulking, and haul your ass into doing something productive!" Monique exclaimed and loosened her grip on the teen hero.

"I-" Kim started.

"Now's not the time to be blaming yourself for shit that happened in the past. Especially the incident. There are more important things to worry about," Monique added more gently.

"I'm sorry guys. One minute I'm having a peaceful evening watching the sunset with Shego, and the next we come close to ripping each other's throats out," Kim sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. "It's just that everything's been moving so fast."

"We know KP, you're doing great though," Ron said with an encouraging smile.

"You're handling the stress better than I would have," Monique nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, but I think my mood swings say otherwise," Kim gave a wry smile.

"It's probably that time of the month again," Ron shrugged. When the two girls whipped their heads around to raise an eyebrow at him questioningly, he scoffed with a feigned offended look. "You're not the only ones who get hormonal you know!"

Ron z-snapped with sass and pretended to flip the long hair he didn't have over his shoulder. He huffed and stuck his nose up in the air, Rufus mimicking his snobby attitude. Kim laughed at this while Monique looked at him with twinkling brown eyes, knowing his humor almost always made his best friend feel better.

"Are you going to stop guilt-tripping yourself and worrying now?" Monique asked with a sad smile.

"I'll try," Kim said with an equal expression. Feeling the need to keep her body moving along with her thoughts, she added, "I'm going out for a walk. I think I need some fresh air."

"Don't be gone for too long. Your parents will kill me if I keep you here any longer," Monique chuckled.

"I'll only be out for a few minutes," Kim promised.

"I'll come with you," Ron got up and started to walk towards Kim, only to be blocked by Monique.

"I think Kim needs to be alone right now. Plus, didn't you say you were going to teach me how to cook your famous Cheese-Explosion Casserole?" Monique steered him towards the kitchen with a swift glance over her shoulder at Kim.

The teen hero nodded gratefully and slipped on her shoes and a light jacket, hurrying out the front door. As soon as she exited the apartment complex, a cool, autumn breeze struck her face. When Kim inhaled deeply, the thick and humid air clung to her nose, carrying fine drops of last night's rain. Lost in the sea of troubled thoughts and memories, she found her feet leading her towards the secluded area where the hovercraft was parked. Its still-wet hull gleamed like a glowing orb as the pale sun reflected off of the shiny metal.

_At least the hovercraft got a good wash from the rain. _

Kim's face contorted into a frown, feeling confusion bubble into her mind.

_Why is the hovercraft still here? Shego's car is still back at her old apartment so how did she leave?_

Remembering that Monique had told her not to worry, Kim pushed away the sneaking suspicions that crept into her head. She rationalized that Shego must've walked to the club or bar or wherever she went.

But it was raining last night. Shego walked in the rain in the middle of the night?

Before Kim could feel even more worried and guilty, she mentally slapped herself and tried to remind herself of all the hurtful things Shego said last night. Those memories fueled fresh anger, and she clenched her fists tightly when she remembered what the villainess had said to her and her best friends.

_What an asshole! I can't even believe the things she said to us! And did she seriously had to bring up the tower as if it wasn't bad enough?_

Her anger was short-lived as a persistent feeling of dread twisted into her stomach. The teen hero walked down a narrow sidewalk pushed away from the main neighborhood. She stopped mid-stride as the terrible feeling kept nagging, unwilling to go ignored. Taking a second to scan her surroundings, her olive eyes widened when she saw long scorch marks. Everywhere.

_Ok, so Shego probably just needed to let off some steam. Or plasma in her case._

Kim narrowed her eyes into tiny slits, knowing that her theory was most likely false.

_Shego wouldn't have unleashed her fury this close to the houses. She would've gone to somewhere remote that couldn't catch fire._

Walking down the burned path, Kim studied the ground intently. If someone were to walk by her, one might've guessed she was looking for a loose quarter on the ground. Very faint bloodstains littered a small section of the sidewalk, making Kim stumble back slightly. It was hard to see, and if the teen wasn't searching the path so closely, she would've walked right past it without a second thought.

_Yeah, I can't ignore that now. What the hell happened?_

The stains were light and mostly washed away from the rain, but Kim was certain they were connected to the burn marks from Shego's plasma. Whipping out her Kimmunicator, she dialed Wade and stared at the ground as she walked, not really paying attention to where she was going.

"Hey Kim, what can I do for you?" Wade greeted as his face appeared on the screen.

Taking a deep breath to steady her thoughts, Kim retold the events of last night. She informed Wade about Global Justice, the dinner with her parents, and her fight with Shego.

"Wow, busy day yesterday huh?" Wade commented with a loud exhale, trying to process everything Kim Just told him.

"It was…eventful, but there's still more," Kim described the scorch marks and bloodstains she was standing on.

"Are you sure those burns are from Shego?" Wade asked.

"I don't think a dropped cigarette could've created a 4-ft long mark," Kim remarked dryly with a half-laugh.

"Point taken, did you want me to check the security cameras of the closest house?" Wade offered and let his fingers hover over his keyboard.

"Please and thank you."

While Wade continued to hack into the security system, Kim made a wide arc around the crime scene to see how far the marks reached. Based on her observations, she concluded that the fight looked short and took place in mostly one area.

"Ok Kim, I've got something," Wade's voice sounded from her Kimmunicator.

"What's the sitch?" Kim hurriedly brought the device to her face and peered at the computer genius curiously.

"You're not going to like hearing this, but I think Shego got attacked," Wade said slowly.

"Ok, can you see what happened?" Kim asked, forcing her voice to remain calm and even.

_Shego got attacked?! What the hell?_

"I can't make out the details, but I sent the short video clip to your Kimmunicator. The footage is really small and blurry, but I'll let you study that yourself to see if you can find anything," Wade replied as he typed a few things into his computer.

"Spankin'. I'm going back to Ron and Monique so we can watch it together," Kim nodded and began heading back to the apartment complex.

"I'll let you know if I find anything on my end," Wade promised.

"Thank you so much, Wade," Kim smiles a bit as they said their goodbyes and hung up.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Girl, let's see the footage already," Monique sighed. She and Ron huddled on either side of Kim on the couch, peering over her shoulder at the blank Kimmunicator.

_I'm terrified of what we might find._

"Ok ok," Kim opened up the file Wade sent her and turned it so Ron, Monique, and Rufus could see.

The three teens stared at the screen intently as they watched the black and white scene unfold. The vague outline of a figure, that they all guessed to be Shego, was walking down the narrow sidewalk. She stopped moving and was looking at something off-screen for a few seconds. A tiny, black streak suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and Kim gasped as she watched all hell break loose.

Shego fought the small blur, rather unsuccessfully by the looks of it, until she suddenly collapsed on the ground. Her tiny attacker disappeared not a moment later, and after a few seconds, a black van pulled up next to her body. The large vehicle blocked the teens' view of what happened next, but after the car drove away, Shego's body was gone.

The trio slumped back into the soft cushions of the couch in shock, blinking in confusion. Kim gaped at the screen with wide olive eyes, feeling her fingers tighten around the small device.

"Shego's dead, and it's all my fault," Kim whispered.

"Kim-" Monique started in a warning tone.

"She's dead. She's dead. She's dead," Kim pulled her knees to her chest and stared blankly at nothing in particular.

"KP-" Ron tried in a gentle tone.

"Shego's dead, oh god. She's dead," Kim repeated like a broken record, rocking back and forth slightly in a trance-like state.

"Kim! Get yourself together!" Monique exclaimed loudly, roughly shaking the redhead's shoulders to snap her out of it.

"What?" Kim blinked and tried to steady her racing heartbeat.

"We don't know if she's dead so stop whining about it like we're going to her funeral! Girlfriend, you need to focus!" Monique scolded, inwardly hating to use such a harsh tone but knowing it was the only way to get into Kim's head.

"Monique's right, she could've just been unconscious," Ron nodded and wrapped an arm around Kim's shoulders comfortingly.

"Shego's a tough one. It's gonna take a lot more than a tiny ass blob to kill her," Monique nodded with a small smile, seeing Kim's eyes start to clear.

"You're right. You're right. She's not dead, she wouldn't let that happen. My panicking isn't getting us anywhere," Kim shook her head roughly and calmed her nerves. "I'm sorry guys."

"KP, there's no need to apologize. We're always here for you like you're always here for us," Ron stated with a goofy grin.

"Thank you, Ron, but why are you helping? Shego said some pretty hurtful things to all of us last night," Kim sighed.

"What's new?" Ron laughed halfheartedly.

"Shego was upset and wasn't really thinking about what she was saying," Monique said gently.

"But still, she hurt you all…" Kim sighed.

"Girl, it's going to take a lot more than a few expired insults to faze me," Monique chuckled.

"They were pretty harsh expired insults," Kim pointed out.

"Don't take what she said to heart, it was late and Shego was tired and cranky."

"Well, crankier than usual," Ron said dryly.

"Sure, her words hurt a little, but I'm positive she didn't mean what she said. She's just a big softie under that brash exterior," Monique continued with a sad smile. "Oh, and we need to find her so I can kick her ass into a pile of last season's clothes," she added, cracking her knuckles playfully.

"If you went missing, I'm pretty sure Shego would've looked for you too," Ron speculated.

"Jersey boy is right, let's just all try to think," Monique said and pointed at the Kimmunicator. "Could you rewind the tape and zoom in? Maybe we can make out the license plate."

Kim replayed the footage as the teens studied it closely, their eyes practically glued to the screen like a magnet. Much to their disappointment, the video was too dark and vague to make out the small numbers and letters on the plate.

"Great, we've got no leads," Kim sighed and rubbed her temples tiredly.

"KP, I thought of something, but I know you probably won't like this idea," Ron started slowly.

"Let's hear it, Ron," Kim smiled encouragingly.

"Maybe Global Justice could help?" Ron asked hesitantly. Before Kim could protest, he added quickly. "I know you don't like asking for help, but they have more people and resources than us."

"Plus, Shego's not a wanted criminal anymore, so she could be classified as a missing person," Monique pointed out.

Kim thought about that for a moment before nodding slowly. She hated feeling the need to ask for Global Justice's help but reasoned it could lead them closer to Shego.

"Dr. Director did say I could call her anytime if I needed anything. This seems like a fitting sitch," Kim said as she scrolled through her Kimmunicator.

"We've helped Global Justice tons of times in the past! I'm sure they'd be happy to return the favor," Ron agreed.

Kim dialed Dr. Director's direct number and listened to it ring, putting the phone on speaker so Ron and Monique could hear.

"Hello, this is Dr. Director head of Global Justice speaking," a voice sounded from the other end of the line.

"Hello, Dr. Director? It's Kim," Kim greeted, trying to sound upbeat.

"Ah! I'm glad you still have my number Kim, how are you?" Dr. Director sounded pleased to hear the teen hero.

"Close to a mental breakdown, but I'm surviving," Kim gave a dry laugh. "How about yourself?"

"A bit tired, but I can't complain," Dr. Director's voice then turned solemn. "I know you didn't call to have a pleasant chat with me, what happened?"

Kim took a deep breath and, for the third time today, explained her fight with Shego and her disappearance. Ron and Monique jumped into the story every now and then, adding pieces or small details that Kim forgot.

"This is grave news to hear on a Sunday morning," Dr. Director commented after the teens had finished. "Do you think you can explain what Shego's attacker looked like?"

"The footage was blurry so we couldn't make out any specific features. All we know is that it isn't a person and that it's small and very quick," Kim informed.

"Possibly deadly too," Ron shuddered as Rufus threw some air punches angrily.

"Its movements were too natural to be robotic," Monique chirped.

"Ok, I'm writing the description down for a report," Dr. Director said and then continued with her questions. "Could you describe the vehicle that picked her body up?"

"A black van with tinted windows," Kim replied.

"I'm assuming the video wasn't clear enough to catch the license plate?" Dr. Director asked knowingly.

"Unfortunately," Kim sighed.

"It's not much information to work with, but I'll send a team of specialized agents to investigate her last known location," Dr. Director stated as Kim thanked her greatly.

"I'll let you know if we find anything more, but one last thing before I go," Dr. Director lowered her voice. "It's evident this could be extremely dangerous, Kim. You saw how easy Shego was taken down."

"I understand that," Kim replied evenly.

"Please stay safe and let Global Justice handle this. Getting involved could put you at a greater risk than you're already in," Dr. Director warned.

"Noted. Thank you Dr. Director," Kim answered and they quickly said their goodbyes.

After hanging up, Monique and Ron looked at Kim expectantly, scared to know the answer.

"You're getting involved aren't you?" Monique asked with a knowing look.

"Absolutely," Kim smiled wryly, feeling a tiny spark of hope.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego felt like she'd been hit with a bus as she cracked open an emerald eye groggily.

_What the hell happened?_

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**


	24. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's notes: I feel like almost every thought from Shego has a swear word in it. Also, here's Shego's POV for what DNAmy is doing to her, so enjoy her perspective. Pstt please don't die Shego I love you too much aHHH

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 23_

Shego groaned as lifted her head, feeling her neck strain from the simple movement. She cracked open an eye hesitantly, trying to peer through the messy streaks of long, raven hair concealing her pale face. Her head throbbed and felt like it weighed ten times more than it did, and the villainess almost passed out again from the pounding headache.

_I swear this is worse than any hangover I've had. And I've had a lot of those._

Reaching up to massage her temples, her hands abruptly jerked back and refused to move apart. She opened both of her eyes and looked down to see handcuffs tightly locked around her wrists. Panicking slightly, she attempted to burn the metal with an easy flare of green plasma. But much to her dismay, she wasn't even able to summon a flame big enough to light a match.

_No powers._

"Oh shit, that's bad," Shego muttered to herself.

Wincing from the effort it took to twist her head, Shego reluctantly scanned her surroundings with narrowed eyes. She was sitting on a rough concrete floor in a large, empty room surrounded. Blank, white walls surrounded her, and though they didn't move, she felt like she was being suffocated by them. Straight ahead lay a horizontal panel of glass, and a desk littered with notes and other laboratory items sat on the other side. On the left, there was a heavy metal door, and on the top corners of the room were security cameras. Another smaller door was on the left, and it was cracked open enough for Shego to see a grimy bathroom.

The pale thief inhaled shakily, and when she coughed, her throat felt like sandpaper. She blinked wearily at the glass panel, her thoughts desperately trying to clear her foggy mind.

_Where the hell am I? How the hell did I get here?_

With a grimace, Shego remembered her argument with Kim and the attack that happened after she stormed out.

_Oh, right. A dumb mutant cat bit me, and I passed out. Let me go ahead and cross that off the ol' bucket list._

She brought her bound hands up to the side of her neck and gingerly touched the two deep puncture wounds. Her gentle fingers suddenly brushed something that definitely wasn't skin, and she prodded the strange material carefully. A thick collar was with a small black box was strapped around her throat, right above her neck wound.

_Ok, so who's going to die for this today?_

"Glad to see you're finally up Shego," DNAmy's nasally voice rang throughout the room, coming from a speaker hidden somewhere.

Shego looked up sharply to see DNAmy standing behind the glass, looking at her blankly. She wore a lab coat and held a clipboard, her pen held up and ready to take notes. Despite the villainess's body screaming for her to stop, Shego leaped to her feet and half-ran half-stumbled over to the clear sheet separating the two.

"Get the fuck over here you coward so I can roast your pathetic ass!" Shego snarled profanities as she pounded on the thick glass.

"You always had such a temper," DNAmy mused brightly. "And I believe you already know you won't be roasting anything for a few more hours."

"What the hell did you do to my powers?!" Shego demanded, her voice cracked and shallow from the small exertion of energy.

"Don't worry, the effect of the neutralizer is only temporary. We should be able to run the plasma tests in a few hours," DNAmy informed nonchalantly as she flipped through a stack of papers.

"Tests?! No way! I'm not a fucking guinea pig!" Shego exclaimed as her enraged emerald eyes darted around the room, desperately scanning for a way out.

"These tests are necessary to collect the data I need before the procedure," DNAmy replied, still skimming through her notes.

"What procedure?!"

"That's not important right now."

"There's no way in hell I'm going to do anything you ask me to!" Shego growled lowly, feeling anger pulsate throughout her veins.

"I think it'd be in your best interest if you corporate Shego," DNAmy advised as she picked up a small remote.

"Bite me, bitch!" Shego dared with bared teeth.

"Temper, temper," DNAmy shook her head with amusement as she pressed a button on the remote.

Shego's body immediately convulsed as electricity coursed from the collar around her neck. She gnashed her teeth and held back a shriek as the shock lasted for more than five seconds. After the electricity dissipated, the villainess's legs wobbled and she collapsed on the cold floor in a heap.

"I'm sure you're all very aware of how electric shocks feel," DNAmy remarked evenly as she scribbled some notes on Shego's reaction down. "After all, you experienced quite a large one 3 months ago."

Shego only glared back heatedly, her throat throbbing from the constricting collar. She reached up with both of her hands still cuffed together, attempting to yank away the device locked around her neck. Another short shock from the collar earned a sharp yelp from the villainess, and she let go in surprise.

"Your body is still weak from the injection Cheshire gave you, so I've lowered the shock intensity slightly to accommodate," DNAmy informed with a wry smile.

"How kind of you. Who the hell is Cheshire?" Shego asked, her voice low and raspy from the lingering tingles of electricity.

"I believe you two have met before. I spliced a stray cat's DNA with that of a tiger shark and viper and added an artificial toxin to his fangs that temporarily disabled your plasma powers. It's my most effective neutralizer recipe," DNAmy chirped as she picked up the mutant cat, letting it rest on the table. It craned its head to stare at Shego with beady eyes, its mouth curling into a devilish grin. "Unfortunately the toxin is weak and you needed to also be unconscious for the effect to kick in."

"Fitting name for a devil cat going to hell after I'm through with it," Shego grunted as she heaved back to her feet, wobbling a bit as the room spun around her.

"Well, he's quite the expert on all of your attack and defense moves," DNAmy cooed as she rubbed the creature's head lovingly. He arched his back in pleasure while he continued to look at the pale villainess with a mockingly triumphant expression.

"You recorded my fighting. Back at my apartment," Shego guessed as she clenched her fists tightly, feeling the cool metal dig into her wrists.

"Lucifer did a great job playing with you. It made your future capture so much easier to conduct," DNAmy beamed with pride as she smiled darkly. "Less messy, with no leads on where to find you."

Shego's stomach twisted with dread as she realized something terrible.

_I might not ever see Kimmie again. I hurt her, and I can't do anything to make up for it._

With an angry shake of her head, Shego felt determined adrenaline rush through her body.

_No! Stop being soft! Fuck it, I'm getting out of here alive!_

"How did you even know where I lived? Even Drakken didn't know!" Shego exclaimed.

"There was a nano-tracker in the handcuffs I locked around your wrists that day at Drakken's lair. My boss transmitted a signal and located you for me," DNAmy shrugged.

"Your boss? Who the hell's that?" Shego questioned.

"None of your business," DNAmy narrowed her eyes.

"Why are you doing this?" Shego demanded.

"Unfortunately there's no time to monologue. I just need the data on your genes and powers," DNAmy replied flatly.

"Let me go, and you might not die too painfully," Shego threatened, her darkened emerald eyes glittering dangerously.

"Oh Shego, your empty threats are pretty cute, but there's no way out of that cell," DNAmy continued to grin as she gestured around with a sweep of her arm. "It's been specially designed to absorb your plasma attacks and resist physical impacts."

"A specialized room? Just for me? Oh, Amy, you shouldn't have," Shego replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Would you care for a blueberry scone, dear?" DNAmy asked sweetly.

"I don't want anything from you bitch," Shego snapped.

"Oh no, not you, I was asking Cheshire here," DNAmy's eyes glinted as she turned back to the villainess. "I've got some Milkbones saved in the back for you."

"Figures a freaky ass cat gets better food than me."

"We're wasting time. Let's conduct a few tests on your body's powers while we wait for the neutralizer's effect to wear off," DNAmy stated as she gathered her clipboard and ran through a list.

"Ha! There's no fucking way I'm gonna prance around for your little science project," Shego laughed darkly, ignoring the voice in her head that tried to reason with her. She stood still, her numb legs planted firmly into the ground like thick roots.

"I don't think my words got through your stubborn little mind," DNAmy pressed a button on the remote as Shego's body stiffened as straight as a board. She bit her tongue to keep from screaming out as stinging electricity kept her ensnared. "Let's start the tests so I can collect my data."

"No," Shego groaned defiantly through grit teeth. Her body was still surprisingly upright, and her tousled raven hair stuck up in several places from the literal shock.

"Still trying to resist? How about we try this again?" DNAmy suggested as she cranked up the intensity level of the collar, pressing the button again and holding it down longer. Cheshire, the mutant cat-shark hybrid, snickered nefariously from his comfortable spot on the desk.

Shego's body shook violently and her eyes were squeezed shut as a dangerous amount of electricity pulsed from her neck. As the agony persisted, a strained scream escaped her cracked lips.

"We can keep going like this, I have all the time in the world," DNAmy's amused voice echoed from the speaker.

"Let me go, bitch," Shego panted halfheartedly as the shock subsided, her head feeling like she just got hit with a wrecking ball.

DNAmy amplified the intensity and watched Shego cry out as her legs collapsed underneath her, her body spamming uncontrollably.

"Are you ready to corporate now?" DNAmy inquired with disinterest as if she was asking if Shego wanted a cup of tea.

"Ok! Stop!" Shego screeched as she felt her consciousness start to slip away. When the stabbing shock persisted, she added in a cracked, pleading tone, "…_please_."

"Well alrighty, since you asked so politely," DNAmy mused as she released the button, watching the pale thief's body visibly deflate from the relief.

"You'll pay for this," Shego promised feebly, her pounding mind hazy with streaks of pain.

"I have insurance," DNAmy shrugged and set Cheshire down on the ground. "Let's get started, shall we?"

Shego said nothing as she forced her piercing emerald eyes to stay open and locked into a menacing glare. Her body still twitched sporadically, never fully recovering from the pulsing electric shocks.

"So, how fast does your body heal wounds?" DNAmy asked, ignoring the intense rage radiating off of the villainess.

"Fast," Shego huffed, finding it harder to breathe.

"I'll need to document how fast that is," DNAmy allowed Cheshire into the room through a small entrance equivalent to a heavy pet door.

The creature stared at a broken Shego with a blinding grin, his several rows of teeth reflecting off the room's bright artificial light. With light steps that barely brushed the rough floor, he stalked over to Shego as if she was a wounded piece of prey.

_Get your ass up and fight! It's just an ugly mutant cat!_

"Didn't have the balls to come and fight me yourself huh?" Shego forced a sneer at the geneticist. She hoped that some banter would give her the time her body needed to recover. "You had to make your litter box do all the work for you?"

"I'm not a fighter. I'm a genius," DNAmy replied bluntly, holding up a clipboard excitedly.

"A genius who just sent a dumb cat to fight a super-powered world-class villainess," Shego retorted with a smirk.

"Not looking too hot without any superpowers right now though, huh?" DNAmy pointed out with a chuckle. "I'd hardly say you're "world-class" anymore either since you haven't done anything significant recently."

"I-"

"And a villainess? I'll have to take away that title too since you're teaming up with _Kim Possible_," DNAmy spat the name with distaste. "I can't believe you're with that do-gooder kid. Oh, how you've stooped so low."

Shego clenched her fists and felt her rage boil over, clouding all thoughts of rational reasoning.

_Ok, how dare she talk about Kimmie like that?! Only I'm allowed to make fun of her!_

"Listen up bitch. Kimmie-" Shego didn't get the chance to move or finish her threat.

With a blur of slashing strikes and blows, the mutant cat attacked an unsuspecting Shego. She yelped in surprise and attempted to knock the creature away, only to be stopped by another electric shock to her neck. The handcuffs locked around her wrists restricted her range of motion, and she could feel the sharp metal cut into her skin as she struggled.

His long fangs bit with precision, and he managed to leave her body littered with bruises and cuts not 10 seconds later. Blood seeped through the new gashes that adorned her pale skin, and specks of red scattered the pristine concrete floor.

After the onslaught of teeth and claws, the pulsing from her collar receded, and she sunk further into the floor. Cheshire hopped back out the locked pet door, his shark tail high with pride as a cheerful grin was still plastered on his face. He returned to the other side of the glass panel and sat down contently on his favorite spot on the desk.

"I'll be recording how fast your body naturally recovers to minor exterior injuries throughout the next few days," DNAmy nodded as she scribbled some things down, peering at Shego's crumpled form thoughtfully. "Get up, we need to conduct a few more tests."

"No," Shego said stubbornly, her cringing face still pressed against the cool floor.

_I won't be told what to do! I'm not a test subject!_

"I don't think your body can take more behavior-correcting shocks. So let's see if you'll be more willing to do more later," DNAmy's voice rang more clearly than before. "I'd hate to see you die before I get to document the extent of your plasma powers."

Shego lifted her head and blinked open her dull eyes wearily, seeing the geneticist's round body towering over. The last thing she saw was DNAmy's smiling face as she held up a syringe as long as her forearm. The nightmare-inducing needle plunged into her neck, and the world went black.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

With a low moan, Shego coughed as her foggy mind desperately tried to grasp the thin strings of consciousness. She pulled herself up and opened her clouded emerald eyes to see she was still in DNAmy's cell room. Her exhausted body was heavy, and she felt like she was being crushed against the rough, concrete floor. Multiple cuts and bruises were scattered around her lithe form, and dried blood formed into crusts around the edges.

_I don't think I've ever felt this bad before. My entire body hurts like hell. _

Straining with effort, Shego heaved to a sitting position and pressed her back against the wall. Her sore neck felt like it was being suffocated by the electrical collar's constrictive grasp, and she could just imagine a python squeezing the breath out of her. A glass of water was left in her cell, and she picked it up with two shaky hands still cuffed together.

_I wish that bitch left a bottle of aspirin or Advil._

Shego reluctantly took a tiny sip of the water, checking to see if it was poisoned or tainted. When it tasted relatively fine, she chugged the glass dry with thirsty gulps and felt the pounding in her head lessen.

Suddenly remembering something, she tentatively held out her hand and urged a spark of plasma to appear. When tiny, green flames danced around her pale fingertips, she breathed out a sigh of relief.

_Let's blow this busted ass joint._

Willing her flame to grow stronger, she unleashed a blaring ball of green plasma at the glass ahead of her. As soon as the glowing energy hit the surface, it dissipated and the panel was left looking untouched. With a low growl, Shego swept her arms together in a wide arc and fired plasma into the walls. The same effect happened, and the fires were extinguished.

"Up and ready to conduct some tests, I see," DNAmy appeared on the other side of the glass. "Oh, and your plasma won't have any effect in that cell. The walls are specifically designed to absorb any forms of fire or extreme heat. You're just fueling the lights in there."

Shego stifled a frustrated scream as she forced her anger down, not wanting to waste her energy on getting mad. She extinguished the flames engulfing her clenched fists and forced herself to stare evenly back at the geneticist.

_I'll break out and beat her ass the first chance I get. But for now, I can't waste my energy on something pointless._

"As you can see, my assistants have put some materials in your room while you were unconscious," DNAmy gestured to the various sheets of metal standing on the other side of the room. "I want you to fire a ball of plasma at all of them one at a time."

"_Why_?" Shego asked as she remained still.

"So I can measure the heat intensity of your powers, of course," DNAmy replied, picking up her clipboard excitedly. When Shego still didn't move, the geneticist dangled a very familiar remote in front of the glass. "I'd suggest you get started. Too many electrical shocks can be incredibly damaging to your internal organs."

"No fucking shit," Shego muttered as she reluctantly fired a wide spread of plasma, her cuffed hands restricting the range of the attack. Each plate of metal melted almost immediately upon impact, and the villainess smirked at her power. The lingering flames were absorbed by the walls, and the intense heat dissipated soon afterward.

_I'm more than happy with destroying all of your shit. _

Her brief triumph was short-lived as another warning shock vibrated her neck. She shrieked in surprise and whipped her tingling head around to glare heatedly at DNAmy.

"What the _hell_?! I did what you asked me to!" Shego snarled, resisting the temptation to yank at her bulky collar.

"I asked for you to fire your plasma at the materials _one at a time_," DNAmy informed calmly.

"You didn't _ask_. You _forced-_," Shego didn't get to finish her retort as another pulsing wave of electricity coursed through her veins.

"Since you're being so uncooperative, I'll have to reset the variables of this test," DNAmy stated with a tired sigh.

Out of the corner of her squinted eyes, Shego could see DNAmy sauntering into the room. She strolled over to the villainess, daintily holding the same large syringe from earlier. A brief flash of fear struck her emerald eyes, and she flinched away instinctively. As her body still convulsed, the needle found its place on her red neck and she fell into darkness again.

_Should I be getting used to this?_

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego felt that terrifying needle four more times after that. DNAmy had run multiple tests on her body's capabilities and her plasma's power, but the pale villainess wouldn't give up her pride. Her neck felt like it was being choked by the collar, and large blisters started to form around the thick strap.

"We'll resume the tests tomorrow and document your body's recovery speed. Hopefully, by then you'll accept your fate, and things will run more smoothly," DNAmy nodded as she disappeared from her desk on the other side of the glass.

Despite it being night, Shego's cell room was still brightly lit with white artificial light. Her frizzy raven mane concealed her face as she tucked her knees to her chest. She buried her throbbing head in the crook of her elbow, crinkling her nose against the smell of burnt skin.

Though her body was exhausted and felt like it was being slowly torn apart, Shego couldn't find sleep as she kept glancing at the glass. For the first time in a long time, she felt scared.

Scared of DNAmy experimenting on her until she died from exhaustion or injuries, whichever came first. Scared of never leaving her cell and seeing the sunshine. Scared of never seeing Kim again. Scared that the last memory she'll have of the redhead would be their argument.

And scared that the last image she'll get to see of Kim- was her hurt and broken face.

_Kimmie's house sounds so much better than this. I fucked up badly. _

Shego closed her glazed emerald eyes and curled into a tighter ball, pulling her knees closer with shackled hands. The hope and fire she felt were slowly dying, and the dreadful feeling of never escaping started to settle in. As the wounded villainess sat through the unnervingly bright insomnia, she found herself wading through a dark forest of haunting thoughts.

_I'll never leave this hellhole. _

_I hurt Kim and her friends in ways I can't even imagine. Why should they care if I die a test subject? _

_I'm nothing more than an experiment. Just a guinea pig for a mad science project I don't even know what's for._

_I'll never get to apologize to her._

…_and it's all my fault._

* * *

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	25. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's preview notes: Kim, are we just going to ignore the question we all have. But why do you have a picture of Shego in your locker hmm? Sounds pretty suspicious to me

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 24_

With a deep sigh, Kim sat through her last class of the day with distracted, half-closed eyes. Deep bags hung like tapestries underneath her olive gems, and she rested the side of her head in her palm. The teacher continued to ramble on and on while the teen hero zoned out into the midst of her troubled thoughts.

_It's been 3 days, and we and Global Justice still don't have a lead on Shego. We're not getting anywhere._

Not noticing the bell had already rung, Kim jolted out of her daze to see the classroom mostly empty. She trudged back to her locker, avoiding the whispers and judgmental looks other students cast as she walked by. Her picture of Shego stared blankly back at her as Kim rested her head on the cool locker door, using it as a cover to hide her distressed frown.

_Shego's probably safe, right? She can take care of herself._

"Hey KP!" Ron's cheery voice sounded next to her.

"Kim!" Rufus squeaked from Ron's pants pocket.

"Hey girlfriend!" Monique's voice came from the other side.

"Hey Ron, hey Monique, hey Rufus," Kim stuck her head back out and forced a smile at her best friends. She placed a few books into her locker, her olive eyes automatically being pulled towards the picture of Shego like a magnet.

"Girl, staring at a photo isn't going to make her appear," Monique said lowly with a sad smile.

"I know, I know. It's just…frustrating," Kim sighed, putting away her thick textbooks.

"We'll find her," Ron promised with an encouraging smile of his own.

"She's probably already beating the bad guys up or roasting their asses on a stick," Monique said with a light laugh.

"Haha, yeah I hope so" Kim pushed away the terrifying image of Shego's still body in the security footage.

_She can't be dead. Right?_

"Hey Kim, where's your little villain buddy?" Bonnie's loud voice sounded from behind the teens as they whipped their heads around to glare at her.

"Bonnie, I've got things to do, please get out of my way," Kim rolled her eyes exasperatedly as she closed her locker door.

"Like running away with your girlfriend?" Bonnie sneered.

Before Ron or Monique could tell her off, Kim faced Bonnie with an even stare.

"What are you even talking about?" Kim asked tiredly.

"Surely you know who your own girlfriend is," Bonnie said with mock surprise, putting a hand on her chest.

"I don't have a girlfriend, I'm straight," Kim stated, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.

"Bullshit. So the lady in your locker is just a _friend_?" Bonnie smirked with a disbelieving glint in her eyes.

"Not even that I'm afraid," Kim replied as Monique shook her head with a loud groan.

"Where the hell are you hearing all of this?" Monique questioned with a hand planted firmly on the curve of her hip.

"Haven't you heard about all the rumors? You guys are practically famous!" Bonnie grinned nefariously.

"Rumors? What rumors?" Ron asked with a frown.

"That you guys skipped school to run away with a wanted criminal of course," Bonnie tilted her head up and looked down on the teens with disdain. "How was it like to break the law by the way?"

"What I do on my _missions_ is none of your business," Kim said, feeling her irritation grow.

"Plus, Shego's not a wanted criminal anymore," Ron chirped as Monique nodded.

Before Bonnie could say anything else, Kim swiftly stepped around her and walked towards the door.

_I'm way too pissed and stressed to deal with Bonnie right now._

Ron and Monique followed suit and jogged to catch up to the teen hero.

"Say hi to her for me!" Bonnie called with a low snicker.

Despite hearing her farewell remark, Kim didn't look back as she strut out the door irritatingly.

_If I get the chance to._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Kim, honey there's no need to worry about the rumors. Gossip usually dies out in a week or so when it gets old," Monique said gently as Kim stared off into space, a frown plastered onto her face.

"What? Huh?" Kim snapped out of her thoughts and saw Monique looking at her expectantly. "Oh sorry, it's not the rumors I'm worried about."

_Why am I so worried about someone who doesn't even care about me?_

Monique studied Kim for a few seconds, inspecting her familiar expression thoughtfully.

"I'm worried about her too," Monique confessed after a long moment. When Kim looked at her in surprise, she shrugged and added, "She's great to chat with, and she helped me improve so much with my fighting in only a few days."

"I miss having someone to make fun of me," Kim said with a light laugh.

"I still don't like her, but pulling pranks on each other was kinda fun," Ron admitted as the two girls laughed.

With a slight shake of her head, the redhead turned her attention back to the page of the open textbook she was studying. This was the third time she had to reread the same chapter, seeming to always get distracted halfway through. Ron and Monique sat in various places of her newly cleaned bedroom, studying or doing homework as well.

"Yeah, and we learned about a ton of reptiles today. It was awesome!" Ron was telling Monique excitedly.

_Shego probably loves reptiles. A lot of them are green and cold-blooded, like her. _

_Honestly, I don't even know if that was a roast or a compliment._

"Did you know a snake can detect the heat signatures of prey when it's hunting?" Ron asked an interested Monique. "The hotter something is, the easier it is for the snake to find."

_Shego's body is hot. Wait no, I mean- her plasma has a lot of heat._

_I wonder if snakes can tell she's different from regular people. _

"They have these holes on their faces called pit organs that do that kind of stuff," Ron continued to ramble as Monique chuckled with amusement.

_If only we had a giant snake to find her- oh my god. _

"Detecting heat… Shego's heat. Of course! We can try that!" Kim closed the textbook she was half-reading and fumbled for her Kimmunicator in her backpack.

"What are you talking about, KP?" Ron asked in confusion as Monique looked at her questioningly.

"Shego's plasma!" Kim exclaimed distractedly.

"Girl, you're not making any sense. What about her plasma?" Monique inquired as she tried to grab the spastic teen hero's attention.

"If we can somehow create a device to locate strong sources of heat, we can find her!" Kim gasped and mentally slapped herself for not thinking of it sooner.

"But she could be anywhere. Snakes could only do that from a few feet away," Ron protested with a frown.

"But if the device could hover over Middleton and be strong enough to produce a large scan…" Monique offered, letting her idea trail off at the end as she tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"If anyone, Wade can do it," Kim nodded with the utmost confidence in the computer genius.

"Kim, honey, but what if Shego's not using her plasma," Monique reminded softly.

"Shego's body temperature is much hotter than normal people," Kim remembered what the villainess had told her once. "I'm sure her heat signature would be much different than ours, so the device would still pick that up."

"Then there's no time to lose! Let's do it!" Ron cheered as Kim laughed at his enthusiasm.

The teen hero quickly dialed Wade and put the phone on speaker as they all fidgeted eagerly.

"Hey Kim- oh hey Ron and Monique," Wade greeted the three teens crowding around the phone. When Rufus waved at the screen and chattered excitedly, he added, "Hey Rufus!"

"Hey Wade, I've got an idea on how to find Shego," Kim stated, ready to tell him her plan.

"Really? Let's hear it," Wade nodded as he raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Shego's heat signature. Is it possible to make a device that can track large sources of heat in an area?" Kim explained.

"I think so-" Wade started.

"Of course, that's easy," Jim and Tim interrupted from Kim's doorway.

The teens whipped their heads around to look blankly at the twins, and Kim audibly groaned.

"Tweebs, how much of that did you hear?" Kim asked nervously, her olive eyes narrowed into tiny slits.

"All of it!" The boys grinned and high-fived each other.

"_Great_, feel free to stop eavesdropping and leave my room now," Kim said flatly.

"No way!" Jim exclaimed with a mockingly hurt expression.

"We wanna help Wade build the thermal detector thing," Tim looked at Wade in the Kimmunicator screen as Jim nodded.

"Why does _everyone_ want to get involved?" Kim muttered exasperatedly, Rufus comfortingly patting her shoulder with a tiny paw.

"If your brothers build it while I help give instructions, it would be done much faster rather than if I had to send it to you myself," Wade shrugged.

"Plus, aren't your brothers practically geniuses at building stuff like this?" Ron pointed out as the boys nodded vigorously.

"They won't be in any danger Kim," Monique assured and the twins' grins grew broader. When she noticed Kim's hesitation, she added softly, "we need to find Shego fast."

_Shego. Right, she's in danger. If she's still alive that is- _

Kim stopped that thought and swallowed dryly, turning her head to look at her brothers evenly with a terse nod.

"Did you finish all of your homework yet?" Kim asked.

"Yep!" The twins glanced at each other excitedly.

"Then ok, go for it. How long will it take?"

"It should be done by tonight if we hurry," Wade answered as he typed furiously into his computer.

"Spankin'! Thanks- all of you," Kim blinked gratefully at her friends and brothers.

"No problem, Kim. I'll hang up now and call your brothers from their phone," Wade informed as the screen went black.

The Tweebs rushed out of her bedroom a second later, whispering hastily with each other about higher mechanics and parts they'll need. As Kim was about to get up to follow them, Monique yanked her back down with a playful waggle of her finger.

"Oh no, you don't!" Monique chided and pointed at the closed textbook. "Girlfriend, you sit your ass down and finish reading that chapter."

"But-" Kim protested, wanting to help her brothers.

"Wade knows what he's doing, and hopefully the Tweebs do too. You can't help them with these kinds of things," Monique said, reading her mind.

"If anything, you're the one that needs help," Ron laughed as he filled out another answer. "You practically got nothing done in the past three days!"

"You're so behind," Monique chirped.

"Super behind," Ron agreed.

"Just imagine the taunts from Shego when she sees your parents scolding you for not finishing your homework," Monique feigned a gasp, subtly suggesting that she was sure they'd find the pale villainess.

_She's trying to get my hopes up that Shego's alive. Subtle, Monique. Very subtle._

"Oh Pumpkin, I can't believe you're getting in trouble for not doing something as pathetic as homework!" Ron exclaimed, mimicking Shego's voice.

"You're such a kid, Princess!" Monique joined in on the teasing.

"Alright, alright I get your point. I'll do my goddamn homework," Kim grumbled, trying to stifle her giggles.

Monique snickered as Ron kept up with his impersonation of Shego, and it wasn't hard to get Kim to end up laughing with them.

_They always know how to cheer me up, I'm so lucky to have these guys as my best friends._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim gazed out of her fixed window, watching the sun start to sink below the darkening horizon. Its golden rays reflected off of the new crystal sheets of glass, and the warm hues gave her face a soft glow.

She sat alone in the silence of her room since Ron and Monique had already left her house an hour ago. As creeping darkness engulfed the edges of the sky, Kim thought about when she was watching the sunset with Shego.

_That was only 4 days ago. It was so peaceful sitting there on the roof with her, talking about moral values and the gray area in life. _

_Who knew I'd miss that moment?_

"KIM!" The Tweebs hollered as they barged into her room. Tim held his phone with Wade smiling on the screen while Jim grasped a small object daintily.

The teen hero almost fell off her bed in surprise, and she looked up sharply at the twins with an annoyed scowl.

_I was having a nice daydream! Well, as "nice" as it could get._

"I thought I told you Tweebs to knock before coming in," Kim sighed tiredly, her curiosity overwhelming her irritation as she peered at the strange device.

"We finished the thermal detector!" Tim stated proudly as Jim held out the device for his older sister to examine.

"Is that what that is?" Kim asked, pointing at the metal object resting in his palm. Its round, flat body seemed to be made up of scrapped junk parts, and its small propeller on the top looked flimsy.

"That's right Kim, and it wasn't too difficult to build either. Your brothers are naturals at mechanics," Wade praised from the phone.

"It was _so _easy," the boys bragged and rolled their eyes with exaggeration, still grinning mischievously at each other.

_I'll never get used to how they say things simultaneously, it's almost creepy._

"I programmed it to scan large areas at a time. So, when you let it do its job flying over Middleton tonight, a complete scan of the city's major heat signatures should be sent back to my computer by tomorrow morning," Wade informed. "I'll call your Kimmunicator right away if I find anything."

"You guys rock! Thank you so much," Kim hugged her younger brothers and gave Wade a grateful smile.

"You're welcome Kim, I had fun working with your brothers," Wade nodded and said his goodbyes, hanging up on the phone.

"We'll go in the backyard and toss it into the air," Jim said as he raced out the door, Tim following close behind.

_The waiting is the worst part. I probably won't get any sleep tonight either._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim, Ron, Monique, and Rufus huddled around the small Kimmunicator outside of Kim's locker. The first bell had already rung prompting students to file into their respective classrooms, so the hallway was completely empty. Biting her lip anxiously, the petite redhead shuffled her feet as she waited for Wade to check the thermal scans.

"Kim! I've got something," Wade said as his eyes widened.

"What is it? Where is it? What-" Kim felt a small spark of hope flicker in her mind.

_Shego's alive?!_

"Girl, calm down, he's about to tell us," Monique soothed but her twitchy fingers and growing smile told Kim she was just as excited as she was.

"I'm picking up a ton of heat and thermal radiation on this building here. It's so strong it's practically blinding my eyes," Wade reported and squinted at his computer screen.

"That's got to be Shego!" Ron gasped.

"I can't confirm it's her, but I highly doubt something manmade could've created all this heat energy," Wade added as he began typing.

"That means she's alive," Kim breathed out a sigh of relief. Monique openly shared the sigh with the teen hero, and while Ron was a bit less sympathetic, they could all tell he was relieved as well.

"I sent the address to your Kimmunicator, good luck guys," Wade nodded and glanced at his computer screen again. "Call me if you need anything."

"Spankin'! Thank you so much, Wade," Kim smiled and began speedily walking towards the door.

The two hung up, and she stuffed her Kimmunicator in her pants pocket. As the teen hero approached the door, she noticed Ron and Monique were right behind her.

_Did they not see what happened to Shego in the security footage? I'm not leading them into a death trap!_

"Guys, this could be dangerous," Kim started slowly.

"What's new?" Monique shrugged.

"Like all of our missions, yeah," Ron shrugged with her.

"I'm not putting you guys in more danger than I already have," Kim stated firmly. "I've already made you tardy for your first class."

"Girl we'll be fine, let's go," Monique insisted.

"Didn't you see what happened to Shego? She got taken out in like 20 seconds! And she's _Shego_!" Kim practically shrieked and immediately steeled her face. "I'm going there alone, I don't want anything to happen to you guys."

Much to Kim's surprise and horror, Ron and Monique burst out laughing.

Like they were laughing. Really hard.

"Can you believe this girl, Ron?" Monique cackled, pointing at a confused Kim. "She actually thinks we're going to let her do this by herself!"

"Haha yeah, like we're gonna just go to class and sit through a lecture while she's out there risking her life," Ron wheezed as he clutched his stomach.

"Kim, honey, you're not doing this on your own," Monique said as she calmed her laughter.

"There's absolutely nothing you can do or say to stop us from coming with you," Ron agreed as Rufus nodded excitedly from his pocket.

"But-" Kim tried to protest.

"This is just another mission," Ron insisted.

"A very dangerous mission," Kim sighed.

"I'm your partner, did you not want me to come on missions anymore or something?" Ron asked with a mock offended look.

"No! Of course not!" Kim exclaimed and added more softly. "I'll always want my best friends by my side."

"And that's why we're coming," Ron said as Monique nodded.

"Then let's go check it out. We can take my car," Monique offered and briskly swerved around Kim, leading them out the backdoor.

"Just try not to speed too fast," Kim pleaded jokingly as the teens raced across the parking lot.

"No promises," Monique grinned nefariously and added, "We can't keep your girlfriend waiting too long."

"We're not even _friends. _You and I already know that rumor isn't true!" Kim whined as Ron chuckled.

"Rumors do have to start from somewhere," Monique shrugged and hopped into the driver's seat before Kim could argue.

_I'll get her back for that later._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Shego's in a pet shop?" Ron looked at the quaint building in confusion.

The three teens parked the car and stepped out, examining the place where Wade had found disturbingly high thermal energy levels.

"Eek!" Rufus squealed when he saw the building. He hid in Ron's pocket, not liking the idea of being in a pet shop at all.

"This is the place that Wade sent me," Kim frowned and took a good look at the building.

"Are you sure?" Monique asked skeptically. "Cause' this doesn't look right."

Kim checked the address on the building again, her frown deepening. "Yeah, this is the right place."

"Huh. I would've expected whoever took Shego to be in an old warehouse or creepy building or something," Ron remarked dryly.

"Maybe we should just go inside and have a look around," Monique suggested as Kim led the way into the store. "It could just be a disguise."

They opened the door slowly, fully expecting an ambush or evil lair, but the teens froze as they saw something worse.

_It's just a regular pet shop. Shego's not here._

"This can't be right," Kim muttered, hastily jogging through the empty aisles. It was around morning on a weekday, so the shop was relatively empty. "She's got to be here!"

"Ma'am, no running in the store please," an employee sitting at the cash register narrowed her eyes. The lady kept her gaze fixed on the teen hero, and Kim could immediately tell something was off.

_Ok, either someone put dirt in her coffee or she's just looking at me weirdly._

"Sorry," Kim grunted and walked over to the other side of the shop, eager to get away from the suspicious glare cast by the employee. The redhead swiftly pulled away out of ear-range and joined her frantic friends.

"Find anything?" Monique asked hopefully as she scanned the various shelves of pet food.

"I was going to ask you guys the same thing," Kim shook her head sadly.

"Maybe she was turned into a lizard?" Ron jokingly suggested as he pointed towards a container of salamanders that were on sale. When the two girls looked at him blankly, he shrugged, feeling as helpless as they felt.

Kim quickly dialed Wade and held the Kimmunicator close to her face.

"Hey Kim, are you at the location?" Wade asked.

"Yeah, but it's just a pet shop. Are you sure this is where you saw the high levels of heat?" Kim questioned in a hushed tone.

Wade took a few seconds to double-check the address and the thermal scan, and he nodded to confirm it was. "That's the right place. Do you want me to download a map of the building?"

"Please and thank you."

"Ok, give me a minute to do that."

_This is so weird. I can't feel the heat, but something's definitely giving me a weird feeling._

"My gut is quaking. I don't know how I know, but I think we're at the right place," Monique said suddenly as she moved some large bags of pet food with Ron.

"I feel it too," Kim agreed as she continued to rummage through the items littering the shelves.

"Uh, KP?" Ron called quietly, his voice nervous.

"Yeah, Ron?" Kim went over to see what he found and gaped when he uncovered a hidden backdoor behind piles of bagged pet food. There was a small pet door, about the size that a cat could fit through, on the bottom.

"Ok, that's suspicious as hell," Monique remarked, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure they weren't being watched.

"Yeah, I doubt the employee break room is this inaccessible," Kim commented and turned her attention back to her Kimmunicator.

"Kim, I'm looking through the building layout right now, and I think there's an underground section to it," Wade reported, skimming his computer screen with intense eyes.

"That's where the heat must've been coming from!" Kim whispered.

"I think you're right. I just sent the layout file to your Kimmunicator," Wade informed.

Kim opened the file while keeping Wade on the line, and Ron and Monique peered over her shoulder curiously. The screen of her phone turned gray with an intricate 3-D map of the building's layout and air vents appearing.

"The flashing blue dot on your map is your Kimmunicator, it'll tell you where you're at," Wade informed as he kept inspecting the layout. "I think you're standing right next to the entrance of the underground level."

"We already found it," Ron nodded as Kim quickly stashed her Kimmunicator in her pocket.

As the teens started walking towards the door, they stopped dead in their tracks to see a small, black cat slinking in the shadows. It stealthily crawled behind the covers of large products and stepped through the pet door disinterestedly as if it did that every day, unaware that it was being stared at. They wouldn't have thought anything more of it, if it wasn't for the very disturbing shark tail protruding from the cat's behind.

_A mutant catshark does not sound like something you'd find in a regular pet store._

Kim and Ron glanced at each other nervously, their stomachs twisting with a terrible feeling of dread. They were thinking the exact same thing.

"DNAmy," Kim breathed as Monique's chocolate eyes widened.

"Only a crazy geneticist would create something as ugly as that," Ron shuddered.

"Oh shit. She's doing something to Shego!" Kim realized, her heart racing a mile a minute. She frantically tried to follow the mutant cat when Monique suddenly grabbed her arm and yanked back. "What are you doing?!"

_Who knows what DNAmy is doing to her? It's definitely not anything good!_

"Kim, keep your voice down," Monique hissed as she pulled the desperate redhead out the pet shop exit, the employee's eyes following their every move.

"KP, you said It yourself earlier, it's dangerous," Ron pointed out as he grabbed Kim's shoulders to get her attention once they were out the door. "We can't just barge in there."

"But Shego-" Kim protested.

"If we don't want to end up like her, we need a plan," Monique interrupted and shook the teen hero gently. "Girlfriend, calm down and _think_."

"You're right, you're right, sorry. Now's not the time to be impulsive," Kim sighed and steadied her uneven breath. She whipped out her Kimmunicator and examined the building layout, searching her mind as she formulated a plan.

"I think that employee's in on the jig," Monique remarked. "Her eyebrows were as off as her."

"Maybe we could cause a distraction?" Ron offered, scratching his head thoughtfully.

Kim closed her olive eyes and paced the parking lot, willing her mind to concentrate on their options.

_I've fought DNAmy before. I need to remember how she thinks._

"How far is your apartment from here Monique?" Kim froze and turned towards her best friends.

"Not far at all, I'd say 5 minutes by car, and 3 minutes if I speed," Monique answered as she tapped her chin.

"Have anything flashy and bright in your closet?" Kim pressed.

"Only about a dozen outfits, why?" Monique quirked an eyebrow.

"I have an idea," Kim smiled wryly.

"Is it insane?" Monique asked.

"Yes."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Yes."

"Is it mostly just us winging it?"

"Yes."

"Is it foolproof?"

"Absolutely not."

"Perfect, I'm down!" Monique laughed.

"Booyah! Let's do it!" Ron cheered as Rufus squeaked excitedly.

"Ok, so here's the plan-" Kim let her idea spill out as they sprinted towards Monique's car.

_I'm insane for trying this. Let's hope we're not too late._

* * *

**Please review! ~**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: I'm adding some of my thoughts on the chapter here at the end from now on! Y'all Kim has a plan. In other words, they're doomed.


	26. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen!

Author's preview notes: SHEGO I SWEAR IF YOU DIE I'LL NEVER FORGIVE YOU

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 25_

_At this point, I'd honestly rather die fighting than a test subject. Hell better have a spot reserved for me._

The pale villainess sat in a broken heap on the concrete floor, her sweaty back pressed against the white walls. Deep cuts had overlapped the faded scars on her wrists, and the cool metal handcuffs were stained with blood. Her body adorned several wounds, bruises, cuts, gashes that were probably infected by now. They were all purposely inflicted by Cheshire, DNAmy's mutant catshark, so the geneticist could track Shego's body recovery speed.

_I find it ironic how she wants to see how fast I can heal but makes that hairball attack me every fucking day._

Her once-sparkling emerald eyes that were so full of fire and spunk now appeared the color of wilted leaves. She stared aimlessly at the glass panel, wanting the torture on her body and mind to end. Blisters and burns littered the edges of the black collar clasped around her neck, and faint tingles still coursed through her veins.

"When do you run out of plasma?" DNAmy inquired. The black-haired woman stood beside her mahogany desk, behind the safety of the glass separating her and Shego.

"I don't know," Shego croaked, her voice barely audible from the dozens upon dozens of electric shocks to her neck.

"Then let's find out now, shall we?" DNAmy picked up a clipboard and flipped through her organized notes.

Shego didn't move and continued to half sit half-lay on the floor, her dull eyes barely able to concentrate on anything. The cell's white artificial lights shone directly on her, making it feel like she was stumbling through a blindingly bright nightmare. She'd been going without natural sleep for over three days, the only rest she was getting from the strong tranquilizer serums DNAmy forcefully injected.

"Get up, we've got more tests to run," DNAmy ordered firmly after Shego didn't respond.

"_No_, bitch," Shego rasped, snapping out of her daze. "I'm tired."

"It's fascinating how you're still trying to resist," DNAmy remarked with a mockingly wonderstruck expression.

She held up a familiar black remote and pressed a button daintily. Shego's body immediately convulsed, and her face was scrunched up in pain as agony seared through her throbbing neck.

"Is this how it felt when you were getting shocked by the electrical tower?" DNAmy asked nonchalantly, releasing the trigger.

Shego winced, not from the lingering pain, but from the mention of that particular incident. Too exhausted to do or say everything, she could only squint in her best attempts at a heated glare.

"And who kicked you into that tower again? It must've slipped my mind," DNAmy asked as she used the tip of a pen to tap her round chin thoughtfully. With a nefarious twinkle in her dark eyes, she grinned and answered herself, "Ah yes, it was _Kim Possible_. Isn't that right, Shego?"

_Kim? Kimmie. Princess. Pumpkin. Cupcake._

_I miss her. _

_Wait, why do I miss Kim? _

_Why should I miss someone who doesn't even care about me?_

_I think the lack of food, water, and sleep is messing with my head, because godammit… I fucking miss her._

Shego swam through her turbulent sea of disorienting thoughts, not paying attention to the endless taunts from DNAmy. But every time she felt hope in seeing a faraway island, it's promising land getting more visible with each desperate stroke, a dark wave would crash into her. And then, when the vengeful water had receded and the confusing fog had cleared, she would be lost at sea once again.

"Stand up. I would like to start the trials," DNAmy startled Shego, pulling her back into physical reality.

"No, I'm tired," Shego retorted halfheartedly.

DNAmy shrugged and pressed the button on the shock collar remote, watching Shego's body twitch violently. Her strained screams pierced through the cell's speakers, making the walls bounce with high-pitched echos.

"Are you ready to start now?" DNAmy asked, getting tired of having to go through the same process before each test.

"No. I-I can't," Shego groaned, her head pounding as the room spun.

"You can't what?" DNAmy felt her irritation grow as she tapped her pen on the edge of the desk.

"…I can't _get up_," Shego admitted dejectedly, her voice cracked and hoarse.

_My legs are numb, and I think I lost all sense of feeling in my neck._

_Oh wait, nope, false alarm. I can still feel pain, so that's good, I guess._

DNAmy sighed and rolled her dark eyes, setting her clipboard down and fumbling for something else. She clutched the remote to her chest, ready to press the button at a moment's notice as she sauntered into the cell room. Much to her surprise, the snarky villainess did not attempt fighting or firing plasma and continued to sit with her head hanging low.

"Not even putting up a fight anymore huh?" DNAmy sneered, letting the giant syringe she was holding find its way to Shego's burned neck.

As soon as she spotted the needle, Shego squeezed her eyes shut and flinched away. The voice in her head screamed for her to stay strong, but her body wouldn't comply and started to sink deeper into the hard ground.

"Hopefully you'll be more cooperative in an hour," DNAmy said evenly as she plunged the needle, causing Shego's body to twitch once then collapse.

_I fucking hate needles._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego blinked open her eyes wearily, tightly shutting them again after she was blinded with piercing white lights. Feeling like her body weighed a thousand pounds, the pale villainess struggled to lift her head off the cool concrete. She fought back the urge to rub her sore neck or tug on the electric collar, knowing it would just trigger an automatic shock if she tried to take it off.

A pair of black beady eyes met her dull emerald ones, and she reeled back in surprise. The mutant saber-toothed tiger sat a few feet away from her, its expression blank and curious. Its long scorpion tail was wrapped neatly around its huge paws, flicking back and forth nervously. The creature made no indication that it was going to attack, so Shego forced herself to relax and look at the geneticist.

"Now that you're up, you will fight Lucifer here until I tell you to stop," DNAmy ordered as she skimmed her notes. "This'll be a test of your stamina and plasma limits."

Shego gazed at the big cat with narrowed eyes, bringing her cuffed hands in a defensive stance. She pushed herself to her feet, swearing under her breath as she struggled to stand. Finally gaining her balance, she braced her weak body for an attack.

_Why aren't you attacking me?_

The creature continued to sit and stare at Shego with wide eyes, almost pleading. A few seconds passed as the two locked eyes with each other, both laced with exhaustion and defeat.

_Guess she's been running tests on you too._

Taking a closer look at her opponent, the pale thief spotted an unnervingly familiar black collar strapped around its furry neck. Except for this time, there wasn't a camera attached, but instead, there was an electrical box similar to Shego's.

_Huh. Well, I'd say electrical collars are quite the fashion trend here._

"Lucifer, _attack_," DNAmy commanded after neither had moved a muscle.

_So I have to fight an overgrown Tomcat. Fantastic._

Instinctively engulfing her hands in green plasma, Shego fully expected the big cat to comply to the order and pounce. But as she lifted the glowing flames closer to her face, Lucifer flinched away as fear flashed in his darting eyes. He backed away to the other end of the room and ducked into a submissive crouch, his scorpion tail tucked between his legs.

"Shego, use your plasma against Lucifer," DNAmy regarded the terrified big cat with a disgusted snort.

"No," Shego said firmly as she extinguished her flames.

If her body didn't feel like absolute shit, Shego would've been throwing taunts at the creature and mocking banter at DNAmy. But the pale villainess could only stare blankly at her cowering opponent as he bared his long teeth in fright.

"I've got someone who's too scared and someone too weak," DNAmy sighed and picked up a second remote. "Perhaps I'll have to give you both a motivation to proceed with this test."

The mad geneticist pressed a button on both remotes simultaneously and watched both opponents' body twitch as electricity coursed through their bodies. Shego watched through squinted eyes as the big cat howled in pain, pawing and scratching at his tight collar helplessly. The more he tried to yank the device off, the more powerful the shocks got.

"Don't touch it!" Shego rasped weakly as she resisted the urge to touch her own collar.

_Damnit he can't understand me!_

Also falling to the floor, she fought the constant strain to her neck and dragged herself over to the crying creature. As she neared Lucifer, her body still twitching with electricity, she could see the burning pink skin under the collar. His thick legs buckled beneath him as he shook violently, desperately trying to end the torment.

_I'm fucking insane for trying this. But he doesn't deserve to go through hell for DNAmy's crazy "tests."_

Shego crawled feebly to the roaring big cat, ducking to avoid the sharp claws of his thrashes and lashing scorpion tail. She tentatively reached a shaky arm out and stroked the wiry fur on his side, trying to calm him down. Lucifer opened his eyes at the gentle touch and looked down at the pale villainess in surprise. His dark eyes were glazed with pain, and his face was contorted in a scrunched up hiss.

"It's ok. Don't fight it, it'll only make it worse," Shego murmured mostly for herself, fully knowing the creature couldn't understand her.

Despite not understanding what Shego was trying to tell him, he understood the insistence in her intense gaze. The mutant scorpion-cat stopped slashing his large paws and leaned into her touch, letting out soft whimpers as the shocks persisted. Shego clenched her teeth and closed her emerald eyes through the searing agony, but she still kept up with stroking the creature's back soothingly.

_I'd be bragging about taming a giant mutant tiger thing if I wasn't in so much fucking pain._

Finally, the electric shocks ceased and Shego collapsed next to the furry animal, letting her shackled hands drape lazily over its striped shoulders. Lucifer curled around the villainess and laid his head down near her twitching legs, his ears pressed against the back of his head.

_He's just a big softie. Well, at least for a thing that could literally kill me in 2 seconds if he wanted to._

He sniffed the dried blood crusted over the many cuts and gashes littering her pale body, and Shego watched in astonishment at his affectionate behavior. With closed tired eyes, the mutant tiger rasped his rough tongue over her wounds and cleaned away the red splatters. His long, wet licks almost felt therapeutic, and Shego found a very brief moment of comfort with her new friend.

The pale thief gently pet the soft, tan fur on his head, carefully avoiding the bare patches of hairless skin around his neck. Her metal handcuffs prodded the sides of his large head, but he made no effort to move away from her touch. She softened her expression at Lucifer, realizing that he was just as trapped as she was.

_This giant litter box isn't too bad, I guess. I kind of like him… even though he wrecked my old apartment._

"How interesting," DNAmy remarked as she scribbled some notes hurriedly. "This wasn't the initial intent of the test, but Lucifer's behavior around your plasma is fascinating."

"Stop abusing him like a lab rat," Shego growled weakly, suddenly feeling defensive for the mutant tiger.

"I'm not abusing anyone."

"_Yes, you are_, bitch. He doesn't deserve this torture."

"I'm simply correcting his behavior, as I am with you, Shego," DNAmy replied with a disturbingly broad grin.

"I'll fucking correct your behavior once I'm out of here," Shego snapped, her voice getting lower with every shaky breath.

"Oh, I don't think you will, dear. This is the last day of testing before your scheduled procedure," DNAmy informed brightly, her expression turning excited.

"What procedure?" Shego narrowed her emerald eyes, trying to push away the dread that was creeping into her fatigued body.

"You'll find out soon enough," DNAmy waved off the question and rummaged through her drawers for two syringes. "We still have one more vital test that needs to be explored, however."

Before Shego could argue, her throat constricted as yet another shock rippled from the tight collar. The creature lying next to her immediately stiffened and howled in pain as his own collar vibrated violently. He instinctively tried to tear the device off with thrashing paws, but Shego stopped him. She held down his twitching arms as he buried his large, furry head into her torso, whining softly.

DNAmy strolled into the room triumphantly, holding two gigantic syringes and the two remotes like trophies. As she approached the two, Lucifer whimpered in terror and curled closer to Shego's lithe frame. The pale villainess could only watch helplessly as the needles landed on both of their necks, and she tumbled back down into electrifying darkness.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego woke up from her short, blank unconscious state and felt around for soft fur. When her cuffed hands found only cool concrete, she frowned and scanned her cell for the mutant tiger.

"Where is he?" Shego demanded feebly, looking up to see DNAmy writing something at her desk.

"Where is who?" DNAmy asked nonchalantly.

"The giant litter box."

"Ah, Lucifer has been returned to his specialized cell for further testing," DNAmy smiled and pulled on some latex gloves.

"You make me _sick_," Shego spat, a tiny spark of her old, angry fire igniting.

"That might be the radioactive waste talking," DNAmy shrugged as she gestured around the cell room.

Shego's gaze swept around her cell, and she willed her foggy mind to focus on the obvious details she missed. A few yellow containers of the radioactive trash were strapped against the plasma-absorbing walls, mechanical arms attached to the tops.

_Shit, what's she going to do to me now?_

"Let's begin the final test now," DNAmy pulled out her clipboard and flipped through the thick stack of papers. "We'll be running through some trials to see how your body and plasma reacts to radiation. Gamma radiation to be exact."

_It's been a while since I've been in school, but aren't those found in atomic bombs?_

"Isn't that the shit that's really deadly?" Shego croaked, failing to keep her voice strong and steady.

"To regular people, yes," DNAmy's eyes glinted nefariously as she searched for a control pad. "But no one has yet to discover how someone like you would react it."

DNAmy typed some things into her control pad as the mechanical arms whirred to life.

"I have collected some relatively strong sources of radioactive waste. Once the seal is broken, we'll get to see how you react to the radiation," DNAmy tapped her pen on the edge of her clipboard excitedly.

Their robotic movements creaked loudly as they broke through the tops of the yellow metal containers, letting very faint green fumes escape. The air immediately turned foul, and Shego scrambled backward, lighting her hands on fire instinctively.

"What the hell?!" Shego shrieked, her voice cracking from her sandpaper throat.

The plasma dancing around her fingers had starting flaring wildly, the green flames growing upward by the second. Panicking slightly, Shego tried to extinguish the roaring fire. But much to her dismay, the hot ribbons of light just continued to rise and mingle with the green fumes emitting from the radioactive waste containers.

Her powers engulfed the cell room and bathed everything in a blinding neon green light, the white walls desperately trying to suck up all of the energy. Shego gnashed her teeth as the glaring plasma snaked up her bare arms and around her body, becoming uncontrollable. And much to her shock and horror, her powers started burning her through the heat-proof handcuffs and finally, her own skin.

_My plasma never burns me! What the hell is this radiation doing to me?!_

"Fascinating," DNAmy gaped behind the safety of the thick glass. She observed the scene with wide eyes, hastily scrawling notes as she squinted through the blinding emerald light.

Shego stood helplessly amidst a green hell, her eyes glowing an eerily, bright white. She screamed hoarsely as her lungs started to collapse, her untamed plasma disrupting the oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the air. Her ears started to pop, making her unable to hear anything as her vision blurred.

As her body started to shut down, she couldn't feel anything anymore as her brain turned to mush. The fire still roared mercilessly around Shego's breaking body, and green was the last color she saw before it transformed into black.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

_Am I dead? _

Shego blinked open her dilated eyes wearily, squinting against the harsh artificial light of her cell room. She fought back a crashing wave of nausea, never fully adapting to passing out multiple times in a day.

_I didn't think hell would be this bright._

Wanting to reach up and rub her glazed eyes, Shego blinked in surprise as her arms didn't budge. Ignoring the sharp strain in her blistered neck, she craned her head to look around. She took a few seconds to get her disoriented pupils to process the blurs she was seeing, her uneven breathing rattled and sharp.

The villainess was strapped against a smooth operating table, and thick, metal straps were clamped around her burned wrists and bare ankles. Her electrical collar was charred and burned on the strap, the black device holding on by a strand. She was stripped down to her black sports bra and shorts, fully exposing the dozens of bruises, burns, and gashes littering her thin body.

Shego attempted to summon a spark of plasma to melt the metal clasps, feeling subconscious that she wouldn't be able to control it. Much to her dismay, however, she wasn't able to produce even a flicker of green flame. Her pale body shivered from the chilled, still air as she wasn't able to inwardly warm herself either.

A loud click sounding by the door snatched Shego's attention, and she turned to see DNAmy pushing a cart filled with medical instruments towards the operating table. The geneticist wore a surgical face mask just below her mouth, probably keeping it off so her voice wouldn't be muffled.

"Hello Shego, isn't it such a lovely day out?" DNAmy asked cheerfully, pulling on some surgical gloves.

_Oh shit. I'm fucked. Uh- uh- stall!_

"Did that crazy radioactive radiation shit take away my powers?!" Shego demanded, struggling against the metal straps restraining her.

"Quite the opposite actually. To my knowledge, your plasma reacted positively to the gamma radiation and became stronger," DNAmy informed with glee at her discovery. "It transformed into its own undiscovered category of radiation. I'm calling it Delta Radiation."

"Fucking fantastic. Where the hell are my powers?" Shego tried to make her tone firm, but she could barely muster the strength to breathe normally.

"Thanks to my extensive tests on your powers, I was able to create a stronger serum to neutralize it temporarily," DNAmy stated proudly, obviously feeling pretentious over being able to combat Shego's plasma.

Shego frantically tried to yank away from the restraints, her futile attempts only making her body weaker. Fear crept into her stubborn mind as she realized the inevitable.

_This is it. I can't believe this is how it ends._

"Now, let's proceed with the procedure," DNAmy stated after watching Shego struggle for a bit with amusement.

"What the hell are you gonna do to me?!" Shego couldn't hide the panic in her low voice. Her terrified emerald eyes were wide, and she willed tears not to form out of whatever pride she still had.

"I've always been curious as to where your plasma comes from," DNAmy smiled wryly, a nefarious glint in her dark eyes.

"…you're gonna cut me open," Shego muttered lowly in more of a statement rather than a question.

"There are so many mysteries that need solving! How does your plasma develop? Does it flow through separate veins? How are you able to generate so much heat without internally burning yourself?" DNAmy spitballed the questions she eagerly wanted to be answered.

"No!" Shego shrieked as she started struggling harder, hyperventilating when it was no use.

The geneticist started cleaning her instruments and reading through her various notes. Suddenly, a loud beeping echoed throughout the room, and she took off her gloves to answer the device in her lab coat pocket.

"Boss, there's a high-class lookin' villainess wanting to see you up here," the voice sounded from the phone.

"I'm in the middle of something, can't she wait?" DNAmy sighed.

"She says it's urgent and her business won't wait for another time."

"What does she want?" DNAmy pressed.

"She won't tell me, ma'am. She says it's top-secret between her and the one in charge here."

"Fine. I'll be up there in a few minutes," DNAmy grunted as she hung up and hurried out the door after adding to Shego, "Unfortunately, we'll have to postpone the procedure until after my meeting. Feel free to think of some last words until I get back."

The broken villainess said nothing as she stared blankly at the bright ceiling, the stubborn fire that kept her alive slowly starting to disappear. Despite her imminent fate, Shego begrudgingly stopped struggling and did what DNAmy told her to do on the first night.

She accepted fate.

_I'm going to die… and I won't even get to say goodbye to Kim._

Shego closed her eyes, wanting to drift away and let the darkness consume her. But the only image she could see through the ink- was Kim's hurt face after the villainess had struck her with a weapon much worse than any of her punches or plasma powers… the tower incident.

_The last memory she'll have of me, is me being an insensitive jerk._

Wanting to get rid of that terrible memory, Shego tried to steer her thoughts away. But as she wandered through the dark forest of her clouded mind, her feet always led back to Kim. The villainess squeezed her quivering eyes shut tighter, feeling then start to water as she clenched her fists in pure guilt and sorrow.

_I'm going to die._

_I'll never see Kim again._

_I'll never get to see her smile at my jokes again._

_I'll never get to apologize for my mistakes…_

Shego felt her chest ache with regret, as she tumbled deeper into the bottomless pit of grief. Whispers and lingering echoes of terrifying memories followed her into the endless hole, and she began to melt with the darkness. Feeling a reluctant tear roll down her bruised cheek, she cracked open her eyes slightly to just barely gaze at the blurred light.

_Kim…_

_I'm so sorry._

* * *

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**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Aww Shego has a soft spot for a mutant tiger. Also, homegirl finally realizes how much she misses Kim, I think this is the first time she actually cries ;-;


	27. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Monique you'd be a great villain, you got the sass and lying skills :D

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 26_

Monique sauntered into the pet shop, swinging the door open as if it were a stage curtain. The employee sitting at the check-out counter immediately whipped her head to stare at her, jaw slightly agape. She strut straight to the stunned lady and leaned against the counter, smoothly blocking her view from the store's entrance.

The fashion diva wore a long, eye-catching dress with vivid colors swirled together in a seemingly random design. Dark shades covered her mocha eyes, and she daintily held a large handbag by her waist. Her face was plastered with layers of makeup, making her almost unrecognizable to Kim and Ron. Millions of sparkles and bright rhinestones were scattered on her outfit, causing eyes to be automatically drawn in her direction. Pale sunlight filtered through the windows and reflected off of Monique's outfit, making her appear like a walking disco ball.

"Hello, darling, could you call Amy for me please?" Monique asked casually as she inspected her acrylic nails.

"I don't know who you're talkin' about," the lady narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Cut the act, sweetie. I'm a world-class villainess myself, and I wish to speak with Amy immediately," Monique tilted her head down to show the insistence in her darkened eyes.

"What for, Miss?"

"That information is strictly confidential and will be discussed between me and Amy privately," Monique answered, her voice like honey.

"She's a lil' busy at the moment. Would ya like to make an appointment or somethin'?" The employee's eyes kept falling to Monique's outfit like a magnet.

"This meeting can't wait for another time. I'm on a tight evil schedule, and I refuse to postpone this deal," Monique replied firmly, placing her hands on the counter to prove her point.

"I'll ask if you can go down to see her," the employee sighed and grabbed a phone.

"My outfit is not sustainable in underground conditions," Monique leaned back to show off the intricate dress. "Tell her to come up here to see me."

"I can't do that."

"Yes, you can. Do it _now_, please," Monique lifted her shades to show the glare forming in her glittering chocolate eyes. "I don't want to have to resort to more…drastic measures."

The employee hesitated for a moment before inspecting Monique closer. After a moment, she begrudgingly nodded, unsure if the "villainess" was dangerous or not. She didn't want to take any chances.

"I'll call DNAmy up right now for ya, ma'am."

"Thank you, dearie," Monique flashed a brilliant smile.

The employee turned away from the fashion diva and spoke lowly into the phone, tapping her finger on the device nervously. Less than a minute passed before she shut the phone off with an audible click, and she glanced up to see the fashionable "villainess" looking at her expectantly.

"She'll be right with ya in two minutes, Miss," the employee informed with a tired sigh.

"Spectacular, now if you'll excuse me, I'll need to make a brief phone call with a client," Monique casually stepped away out of earshot and turned so her back faced the employee's watchful gaze.

"Kim, DNAmy should be up in two minutes," Monique whispered fiercely into her phone.

"Spankin', Ron and I'll go down in three then. Thanks, Monique. Keep her occupied for as long as you can please," Kim's low voice sounded from the other line.

"I'll do my best," Monique promised, glancing over her shoulder briefly to see the lady still staring at her glimmering outfit.

"Get out of the store if you're in danger," Kim ordered sternly.

"No promises, girlfriend," Monique stifled a laugh as they quickly said their goodbyes.

The fashion diva strolled back over to the counter and flipped locks of curly, chocolate hair over her shoulder. She tapped her high-heeled foot impatiently as they waited for DNAmy to show up. Despite her cool composure, Monique was having an internal war and debate on what she was going to say to the geneticist.

A door behind the employee opened and DNAmy poked her head out, a small frown on her face.

"Ah! Dr. DNAmy, it's such an honor to finally meet you," Monique chirped loudly, ready to start flattering her way into the geneticist's mind.

"Who are you?" DNAmy inquired, unable to peel her eyes away from Monique's flashy outfit.

"My name is Ms. Mon, owner of Monique's Chic Evil Fashion Boutique," Monique stated with a broad smile, mentally praising herself for thinking of a name on the fly.

"And why would an evil fashion designer want to see me?" DNAmy asked, the skepticism clear in her dark eyes.

"May we speak somewhere a bit more private? My business is strictly for high-class villains only," Monique said, her voice thickly sweet.

"Of course, feel free to step in my office," DNAmy nodded and opened the barrier between her and the fashion diva.

"Thank you so much, Dr. DNAmy," Monique could see that the geneticist loved being acknowledged with a doctor title.

The two stepped into a small room with a low table and two chairs, a staircase in the back. Monique figured the stairs led to DNAmy's underground lab, and she forced down her nervousness as she took a seat. If her cover was blown, she could either run out the exit behind her or down the stairs where Kim and Ron were.

"Now Ms. Mon, what is it that you urgently wanted to see me about?" DNAmy inquired, setting her chubby elbows on the table interestedly.

"To strike a business deal with you of course!" Monique stood up, letting her glittering outfit shine in the pale light.

"What sort of deal?"

"Why, don't you know? You're an _icon_ in the evil fashion industry!" Monique gasped, feigning surprise.

"I am?" DNAmy asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Absolutely! Your uh- _lab coat_ is simply magnificent and is all the rage for mad scientists globally!" Monique fumbled for a brief second before regaining her confident composure. She pushed away the growing anxiety, and she tried not to think about how she was standing a few feet away from a crazy geneticist who created mutant animals for fun.

"Really? My standard, plain lab coat?" DNAmy looked down at her attire in confusion.

"Precisely! The simplicity of it all speaks volumes!" Monique exclaimed, gesturing wildly at DNAmy's clothes.

"Wow, I had no idea it was that special," DNAmy smiled proudly. "But what does that have to do this "deal" you came here for?"

"Do you know who the world-class thief Shego is?" Monique asked, quickly forming up lie after lie to make her deal sound believable.

"Of course, I know Shego quite well," DNAmy grinned nefariously, making Monique inwardly shudder.

"I was the one who designed her unmistakable catsuit! I make outfits for only the best villains and villainesses," Monique stated with a proud smile.

"And what does that have to do with me?"

"Dr. DNAmy, you're one, if not the _best_ evil geneticist there is! So, I'd love to design you a brand new lab coat," Monique replied smoothly.

"I thought my simple lab coat was all the rage. Why would I need a new one?" DNAmy narrowed her eyes.

"Oh, it is! But I'm thinking of creating a whole new line of lab coats, and I'd love to have you, a highly-recognizable fashion icon, to wear them."

"What's the catch?" DNAmy asked, obviously unconvinced.

"The only thing I ask in return is that you wear your new lab coat proudly! I'll be making you an unlimited supply for as long as my evil business stays afloat," Monique answered, feeling a bead of sweat run down the side of her head.

"Quite a beneficial deal," DNAmy remarked flatly.

"It is indeed! Think of it as a sponsorship in a sense."

"Now, Ms. Mon, do tell me more about who else you've worked with in the past and why I haven't heard of you before," DNAmy tapped her round chin, her gaze suspicious.

Monique swallowed dryly, but she kept her face in a tight smile. Taking a deep breath, she prepared to think of a long, completely made-up story to keep the geneticist occupied and interested.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Unbeknownst to her, two silent teens had snuck into the store, quickly hurrying to the hidden backdoor they uncovered earlier. It was locked, but Wade had helped Kim swiftly unlock it.

They dashed down the long flight of winding stairs that led to an underground facility. The walls were a pristine white and the floor was a smooth tile, some cracks of concrete peeking out. Kim examines the 3D building layout on her Kimmunicator and led Ron down the confusing hallways, stopping every so often to check the rooms they passed.

"Why'd you make Monique the distraction?" Ron asked after they had passed another corridor.

"It's the safest role, she can run out the exit if her cover is blown. Also, DNAmy doesn't know her, so it wouldn't have worked with either of us," Kim explained.

"Good point."

"And besides, I don't think you can pull off a dress that sparkly," Kim added with a brief glance at Ron, her olive eyes sparkling

Ron laughed and matched Kim's speed, peering over at their coordinates on the Kimmunicator.

"Knowing Monique though, she wouldn't run away if something goes wrong. She'd probably just jump down here with us," Ron said after a moment.

"I really hope she doesn't, it's my fault if any of you get hurt," Kim sighed, shaking her head sadly as they kept jogging forward.

"We came by choice, so it's technically our own fault," Ron reminded gently.

"It's still partially mine though because I came up with this dumb plan," Kim argued, feeling more anxious by the second.

"We're just gonna pop in, grab Shego, and get out. It's simple and brilliant," Ron grinned encouragingly.

"You make it sound so easy," Kim chuckled and smiled gratefully at her best friend's optimism.

"KP, don't worry! We'll be fine!" Ron insisted as they turned another corner.

"Uh- Ron?" Kim tapped his bouncing shoulder and pointed at a petite creature blocking their path.

A small, black cat sat in the middle of the dimly lit hallway, flicking its shark tail back and forth with agitation. Kim frowned slightly at the mysterious animal hybrid, not liking the feeling it was giving her.

"Should we be worrying now?" Kim asked slowly.

"Scary cat!" Rufus squealed and buried himself into Ron's pants pocket, completely hiding his hairless, pink body.

"Seriously? It's just a little kitty!" Ron smiled wider as the two teens slowed their pace.

"A little kitty created by DNAmy. We need to be careful," Kim warned, narrowing her olive eyes.

"It's kind of cute," Ron shrugged with a half-laugh.

_Knowing DNAmy, this thing looks all cute and cuddly but is most certainly able to kill us. _

They crept closer, feeling more nervous when the cat started grinning. Its broad smile revealed rows of serrated teeth and two long fangs protruding from the front of its mouth. The pearly whites gleamed ominously, and Kim stopped Ron before he could try to move around it.

"Maybe it's a nice kitty?" Ron joked, gulping when he saw the rows of sharp teeth.

Before Kim could respond, the creature pounced suddenly, its lithe body a streak of black lightning. She forcefully pushed Ron out of the way as the cat slashed right where his nose would've been.

"Ok, not nice! Definitely not a nice kitty!" Ron shrieked and dodged its snapping jaw, jumping back three feet into a defensive stance.

With a flurry of instinctive punches, Kim watched in shock as the creature slipped between her attacks like water. Its movements and parries were light and timed to perfection, almost as if it had been specially trained.

"It's a mutant ninja cat!" Ron exclaimed as he barely dodged another bite to his leg.

"Since when did DNAmy get cats to learn martial arts?!" Kim gasped, the creature latching onto her arm.

Kim winced as she felt a long fang graze her arm, letting a small stream of blood flow down to her wrist. The cut wasn't too deep, but it still made her punches labored and stiff. She willed her darting eyes to focus on the blurred creature and skillfully struck its side with a round kick, sending it flying towards the wall.

The mutant cat flipped in midair and landed gracefully on all four paws, its back arched with irritation. It hissed and lashed its shark tail angrily, crouching into a pounce position.

"I can't even defeat a tiny cat, unbelievable," Kim muttered under her sharp breath.

While its slit eyes were pointedly focused on Kim, Ron swiftly kicked its furry stomach from behind with a loud battle cry. The hard blow sent it rolling over like a tumbleweed, and its inky body flopped against the tile floor in a heap.

"Nice one, Ron!" Kim praised and high-fived her best friend.

"Booyah!" Ron cheered, pumping his fists in the air triumphantly.

Their celebration was short-lived, however, as the mutant cat slowly rose from the ground like a zombie. Much to their horror, it whipped its head around and curled its lips into a disturbingly wide grin. With a daring purr, it hopped back onto its paws lightly, not a single scratch on its sleek, midnight coat.

"How is this thing not down yet?!" Ron asked incredulously, running a sweaty hand through his messy, blonde hair.

"It has a shark's tail. Maybe it has the strength and durability of one too?" Kim guessed worriedly.

_Oh my god, we need to find Shego! We're running out of time!_

Without a second thought, Kim tossed her still-flashing Kimmunicator into Ron's hands. He caught it easily and glimpsed at the bright screen, grimacing a bit at the intricate 3D map.

"You need to find Shego! DNAmy could be back at any minute!" Kim let the words spill out urgently as she brought her fists up to her face, preparing for a fight.

"But you-" Ron gripped the Kimmunicator tightly, glancing at the mutant cat as it stalked forward. Its cat eyes gleamed dangerously in the low light, and its black pupils thinned into tiny, narrow slits.

"I'll take care of fish sticks here, don't worry!" Kim interrupted with an assuring lob-sided smile.

_Hopefully, it doesn't take care of me first._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Ron reluctantly sprinted in the opposite direction, casting a worried glance over his shoulder at Kim. She quickly disappeared from his view as he wound around the maze of corridors. He examined the building layout on the Kimmunicator as he ran blindly forward, desperately trying to make out the details on his location.

He checked numerous rooms that he passed by, finding various objects or creations but still no Shego. With a frustrated groan, Ron swerved around corner after corner, seemingly going in circles. He stared at the elaborate map, trying to decide where to search next from the flashing blue dot on the screen.

"I really wish I paid more attention in Geometry," Ron muttered to a still-hiding Rufus.

The naked mole-rat poked his bald head out of the large pocket, checking to see if the scary cat was gone. Once he understood the coast was clear, he leaped out and struck an attack pose on Ron's shoulder.

Ron wasn't paying attention to his rodent friend as he ran into a dead-end, cursing under his breath. Beads of sweat laced his clammy forehead, and he wheezed from all the jogging he'd been doing.

"Up!" Rufus suddenly squeaked, pointing a tiny paw at an air vent.

Ron checked the air duct entrance to see it was wide enough for him to fit through. He studied the 3D map to see that the ventilation system led to more hidden rooms, and his lips started to curl into an excited grin.

"Good thinking, buddy!" Ron held his finger up for a high-five, and Rufus slapped it proudly.

Stifling a sneeze, Ron climbed into the dusty, cramped vent, and he grimaced at the layers of dirt, cobwebs, and dead bugs laying around.

"Yuck!" Rufus crinkled his nose and clamped both paws over his mouth.

"This is what I imagine the bottom of my locker looks like," Ron grumbled as he crawled forward, using the Kimmunicator's screen as a flashlight and guide simultaneously.

Rufus looked at him skeptically with a sideways glance, and Ron shook his head with amusement.

"You're right, Rufus," Ron chuckled dryly. "My locker is so much worse."

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim punched the air again, missing the mutant cat's furry body. It easily dodged her futile attacks, and it slipped between her flying limbs like melted butter. She growled in frustration as her opponent only continued to grin broadly, shining its sharp fangs to her face.

_My moves aren't getting me anywhere! _

Her olive eyes were wide and alert as she took to studying the creature's strategy, narrowly avoiding its snapping jaws. Kim hesitated as she watched it crouch into a pouncing position, but to her surprise, it didn't jump and only continued to stare intently.

_It's waiting for me to attack so I'll get close enough. Maybe if I switch to defense-_

Kim forced her body to loosen and she relaxed her tense shoulders, lowering her hands into a defensive stance. The mutant cat quirked its head in confusion before taking an initiative leap, teeth bared and claws outstretched.

Switching up her tactics, Kim started feigning attacks and dodging when the creature thought she'd punch or kick. She pretended to duck when the cat snapped its jaws at her red-stained arm, planting a foot firmly in the ground.

While it was worried about attacking, Kim fired a powerful crescent kick to its side and watched it sail through the air. The raven-colored, furry mass dropped to the ground with a thud, and Kim took the opportunity to sprint away.

_Let's hope I knocked it out for real this time. _

The cuts and gashed scattered on her body stung as she whipped through the empty hallways, but she couldn't process the pain as adrenaline pumped through her veins. Wind billowed in between her ruffled clothes, and her tousled, crimson hair flowed behind like a cape.

She ran blindly forward, not knowing where she was or where she was going since her Kimmunicator, and ultimately the map was with Ron. Her steps were light and fast as she skidded across the smooth tile floor, turning corners sharply to try and create some distance between her and the mutant cat.

_Where would DNAmy keep Shego?_

Kim found herself checking rooms as she passed them, feeling disappointed each time she only found various laboratory instruments or machines of some sort.

_Damn it! Where is she?_

Starting to panic, Kim turned a corner and found herself standing in front of a large door. There was a bright red sign on the front that was said "_Caution: Radiation in Testing."_

Kim ignored the warning and turned the doorknob, roughly shouldering her way into the room. She swung the door open and let her olive eyes scan the space. Seemingly random notes and files were littered all over a large, mahogany desk in the center. Off to the right was a tall metal door, with multiple locks stacked on its side. Behind that was a horizontal panel of glass that stretched from one side of the room to the other.

With a curious frown, Kim stepped over to the glass and peered into the brightly lit room on the other side. What she saw almost made her vomit, and she stumbled a step back in horror.

Shego was stripped to only a sports bra and shorts and strapped down to an examination table, her mostly-exposed pale body covered in wounds and bruises. The villainess laid disturbingly still, her eyes closed and limbs loose.

_No! Fuck! Oh my fucking god, no!_

"Shego! Shego, _wake up_!" Kim screamed as she pounded on the thick glass, unsure if the villainess could hear her. Or was even alive for starters.

When Shego didn't move or make any indication she heard Kim's desperate cries, the teen hero felt her throat start to tighten. Dread pulled onto her heart as her stomach dropped, making her voice start to crack.

_No! She can't be dead! She has to be ok!_

"SHEGO! _SHEGO, GET UP!" _Kim cried hoarsely, her terrified olive eyes wide as tears started building. She dashed over to the metal door, almost tripping over a fallen clipboard as she tried to yank it open helplessly.

When it was clear the door wouldn't budge, Kim clambered onto the wide desk and went back to attempting to break the glass.

"_SHEGO!" _Kim yelled desperately, her vision starting to blur as she sent kick after kick at the window.

_Am I too late?_

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

_Damn. My brain's cruel. _

_I can't believe it's making Kim's voice appear as if I wasn't depressed enough._

Shego inwardly growled as Kim's desperate voice persisted, making the endless guilt and regret hurt more. She just wanted to die in darkness and at peace.

_I'm going fucking insane. What's taking that bitch so long?_

Shego cracked an eye open reluctantly, trying to blink away her tears. She glanced at the glass to see if DNAmy had come back, and she did a double-take when she saw a very certain redhead instead. A tiny spark of hope flared in her broken heart, and the villainess couldn't ignore the fluttering feeling it caused.

_Kim?_

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Shego please stop sulking and reunite with Kim, the readers don't like the suspense ahHHH


	28. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Read the added disclaimer above, please! Also, I'm so sorry for the inconsistent updates! I'm trying to keep the chapters relatively long and concise, so they're taking a bit longer to write ;-;

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 27_

Shego lifted her head feebly and locked eyes with Kim, the thick glass separating the two. The teen hero visibly deflated as relief washed through her petite body, cupping her hands over her mouth to contain her emotions. Two pairs of green eyes met, and Shego offered a tiny smile.

_Huh. I guess hell's gonna have to wait for me._

The wounded villainess stiffened when she saw Cheshire, the mutant catshark, seemingly appear out of nowhere from behind the open door. He pounced on the unsuspecting redhead, almost biting her throat off had she not dodged at the last second. Shego shrieked and strained against the metal clasps around her wrists, her throat dry and cracked.

_I'm gonna slaughter that flea pelt and sell his rotten kidneys on the black market!_

Kim had disappeared behind the desk, fighting the creature with precise movements and a growing determination to get to Shego.

Loud thumps sounded from the ceiling, and Shego raised an eyebrow in confusion at the growing noise. Much to her shock, Ron tumbled out from the air vent with a high-pitched scream. His butt hit the ground with a loud thud, and he groaned from the impact. Rufus jumped up from his shoulder and pointed at a gaping Shego with a tiny, bouncing paw.

"Shego!" Rufus squeaked excitedly.

"_Stoppable_?!" Shego gawked, trying to twist her head to look at the fallen blonde boy. When a sharp strain tore at her reddened neck, she winced and laid her head back down on the examination table.

"Shego! Booyah!" Ron cheered, rubbing his behind as he quickly got up and rushed over to the wounded villainess. He shoved the rolling table of medical instruments aside, letting scalpels and surgical knives spill all over the concrete floor.

"What are you _doing_ here?" Shego asked in complete disbelief.

"Busting you out, of course!" Ron exclaimed, striking a kung fu pose at an invisible enemy.

He inspected the tight clamps around Shego's wrists and ankles, tugging on them to test the waters. Rufus suddenly crawled underneath the table and chattered something inaudible.

"…Why?" Shego frowned.

"_Why_, what?" Ron parroted distractedly, trying to find something to break the metal bands.

"Why are _you_ helping me?"

"Because we're not going to just sit back and let you die," Ron shrugged as if it was obvious.

"But I've been a jackass to you. Fuck, I don't even _like_ you," Shego said honestly, her frown deepening.

"Obviously. The feeling's mutual," Ron chuckled, using various items that were scattered on the floor in an attempt to pry the clamps off.

"Why did you come for me?" Shego prompted again, knowing the younger boy wasn't telling her everything.

Ron blinked and stopped his tinkering for a second, sighing deeply with a hardened expression.

"I don't know if you know, but Kim cares about you…_a lot_," Ron said gently which surprised Shego. "…And if someone's that important to her…then it's important to me, too."

"You kids are so good-hearted and pure, that I might actually vomit if I had anything in my stomach," Shego mock gagged but failed to suppress a smile.

Ron snorted and continued to work at the restraints, successfully tearing one off with a triumphant fist pump. Shego lifted her freed arm and shook out the dead muscles, relishing the new range of motion.

"I'm sorry, by the way," Shego muttered lowly after a few seconds of silence, heavy breathing and occasional swears from Ron. She felt slightly embarrassed and ashamed that the blonde boy had to rescue her. Despite her pride, she concluded that the boy wasn't as useless as she thought and deserved an apology.

"Huh?" Ron raised an eyebrow questioningly, unsure if he was just imagining things.

"I'm sorry for being an asshole even though I know you can't help your stupidity," Shego grunted, a teasing glint in her eyes.

Ron gave a lighthearted laugh. "That's a good enough apology for me, I'll take what I can get."

"It's all you're _gonna_ get."

"I didn't even know you were capable of saying the words 'I'm sorry'," Ron said with feigned astonishment. "You're just a softie."

"I'm _not_ soft, Stoppable," Shego snapped. "I'm just getting fucking delusional and mushy from the lack of necessities needed to function."

"Right. But you know… just because I forgive you, doesn't mean I'll stop pulling pranks on you," Ron grinned, still struggling with the second cuff.

"Oh, you're _so_ dead in the prank war," Shego said with a low snicker, her throat feeling like sand.

Despite their situation, Ron laughed wholeheartedly, and Shego loosened up a bit at his optimism.

"Damnit! These things are harder than expired Nacos!" Ron growled in growing frustration, the second clasp not budging. When Shego quirked an eyebrow at that, he sighed. "Don't ask me how I know that."

Before the villainess could respond, her metal restraints suddenly retracted back into the table automatically. Ron leaped a foot back and gave a shocked yelp, his expression just as surprised as hers. Shego immediately moved her arms and legs around as she sat up slowly, wonderstruck at her freedom.

"How did you-" Shego started to ask.

Ron put his hands up in an "I didn't do it" gesture and shook his head perplexedly.

Rufus then hopped out from underneath the examination table with a chewed off red wire in his mouth. He presented it to Shego like a shy kid giving a gift, and the villainess started to grin.

"Awesome job, buddy!" Ron exclaimed with a broad smile at his rodent friend.

"Figures I get saved from death by a tiny rodent," Shego stated, her tone surprisingly warm. She pet the top of Rufus's pink, hairless head with her pointer finger and nodded. "Thank you, Rufus."

"Shego!" Rufus squealed again, high-fiving Ron's waiting finger.

"Booyah! You did it!" Ron pumped his fists in the air. He checked the heavy, metal door of the room and found that it was left unlocked from the inside. With a huff, he swung it open with an accomplished look.

Shego regarded their mini celebration with an amused eye roll, feeling a wave of nausea rush to her head as she tried to get off the table. Ron noticed her swaying movements and regained a serious expression, helping steady her thin body with supporting arms. She managed to stand on two feet for a half-second before crumbling to the floor in a heap.

"I'm fine. Just…give me a minute to sit so I don't fucking pass out," Shego grunted, feeling her head start to spin.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim fought the mutant catshark with her new strategy, leaning more towards defense and feigning moves. With each strike or block, she slowly moved towards another room nearby. Taking a small step back each time the creature pounced, she managed to lead it right in front of the slightly ajar door.

With a sudden dodge, she quickly swung the door open as the cat leaped right into the storage room. As soon as its black, furry body disappeared into the shadows, she slammed the door shut and raced back to Shego's room.

With a frown, she found that the metal door was now open and she stepped into the brightly lit room.

"KP!" Ron and Rufus greeted simultaneously, Kim grinning gleefully at them.

Shego looked up from her sitting position on the floor, a nefarious glint returning to her tired emerald eyes.

"Already back for more, Princess?" Shego managed a smirk, trying to keep up her cocky attitude. "I knew I was irresistible."

Kim didn't respond as she dashed over to Shego, tripping slightly on the way. Skidding across the floor on her knees, she embraced the stunned villainess around her exposed waist with strong arms.

She rested her head on the older woman's bare, pale shoulder and closed her olive eyes, not wanting to see the dozens of wounds all over Shego's burnt neck. Kim regarded the strange collar wrapped around the sores and blisters, but she decided to ask about it later.

Shego blinked in surprise and hesitated for a few seconds, a bit unsure of how to feel. A rollercoaster of emotions ran through her mind: relief, gratefulness, sorrow, irritation, embarrassment, and of course, her favorite being anger. She forcefully pushed away her worries before returning the affectionate hug, and she was baffled at how fast her tough demeanor dissipated in Kim's arms.

Holding a shaking Kim tightly against her chest, she let their wounded bodies melt into each other like water. She also closed her dull, emerald eyes as she buried her nose in the teen's wild, red mane, inhaling her signature cinnamon scent deeply. It was oddly comforting, and Shego didn't want to admit it, but she was happy to see the teen hero despite their argument.

"Kim…" Shego whispered, her voice muffled by the redhead's tousled hair.

"Shego," Kim breathed back, relaxing in the older woman's arms.

"Kim…I-I'm…I'm sorry," Shego stuttered softly, pulling back from the embrace to show the sincerity in her weary eyes.

"For what?" Kim asked, feeling too relieved and dazed to recall past events.

"For everything. For being an insensitive asshole and fucking up when you were only trying to help," Shego's eyes flashed with guilt, and she tore her downcast gaze away from Kim. "I'm so sorry..."

Kim blinked in surprise at Shego's apology, realizing this was the first time she had ever heard her admit to anything like that. After a second, she smiled warmly and gently turned Shego's face with a shy finger, willing the villainess to look at her.

"I already forgave you," Kim said gently as Shego's glazed eyes visibly brightened slightly. "Although, I do think Ron and Monique deserve an apology or two."

"She already apologized to me, KP. And you missed it, but she actually called me Stoppable!" Ron gasped, still in complete awe. Rufus nodded vigorously at that and chittered proudly at Shego.

Kim chuckled and smiled gratefully at her best friend, making a mental note to thank him later for helping Shego out. He seemed to understand the mental message and nodded with his signature goofy smile, letting the two girls have their quick minute together.

_He doesn't like Shego, yet he saved her for me… He really is the greatest best friend I could ask for._

"I'll talk to Monique," Shego promised with a tiny nod, and she surprised Kim by pulling her back into a tight hug.

_We need to get out of here, but there's still one more thing I need to do first._

"Shego?" Kim started slowly.

"Hm?"

"I-I'm sorry too, I-"

Their brief moment together was cut short as Monique crashed into the room, interrupting what Kim was about to say. Shego's eyes widened at the half-apology, but she became unreadable soon after.

_Why does the universe not want me to apologize?_

Kim jolted to her feet and reluctantly left the older woman's arms, inwardly swearing for her bad luck. Shego's face hardened into that of her usual mild irritation, and her emerald eyes were more focused and alert than before.

Monique was panting and leaning on the doorway heavily, her flashy outfit torn and shimmering in the bright, artificial light. She had lost her sunglasses, and her handbag was sliding more off her shoulder with each breath.

"Cuddle time's over, folks!" Monique exclaimed, panic lacing her voice.

"Mo! What _happened_?!" Kim gasped, quickly releasing Shego's lingering hands.

"The jig's up!"

"I thought I told you to run out of the store if your cover got blown!" Kim hissed, her voice more worried than angry.

"Did you seriously think I'd leave you guys here with a mad lady with killer animals?" Monique asked incredulously with a roll of her chocolate eyes.

"No, but I was hoping you would," Kim groaned, feeling a headache starting to form. "Are you hurt at all?"

"Girl, besides my dress, I'm fine. But thank god _you're_ ok, Shego," Monique sighed with relief as she looked the pale thief up and down.

"Define "_ok_," Shego said dryly with a deadpan expression.

"We can worry about definitions later, we need to find a way out!" Kim stammered as she helped a wobbly Shego to her feet.

"Can you even run?" Ron asked, looking skeptically at Shego's worn-out body.

"Probably not, but does it look like I give a fuck?" Shego snorted, trying to keep her tough composure despite her exhausted body screaming for her to sit down again.

"Terrific mindset Shego, now let's fucking _go_!" Kim ordered hastily as she ushered Ron and Monique out the door.

Without even thinking about it, Kim grabbed Shego's hand and dashed out the room, trailing behind Ron and Monique. The pale villainess didn't argue as Kim pulled her along like a misbehaved child, and she would occasionally tighten her grip as she half-ran half-stumbled down the hallway. Shego looked down at their joined hands and frowned a tiny bit, but she didn't yank her arm away.

The four blindly turned corners, silently praying that they weren't running closer to DNAmy. They reluctantly slowed their jog when they came to an intersection branching off into three different ways.

"Ron! You have the map, how do we get out?" Kim asked, subconsciously interlacing her fingers with Shego.

"W-well, uhm I think uh-" Ron stuttered nervously.

"Ron? Are you ok?" Kim prompted, starting to get worried at his confusion.

"We need to go…right? Forward maybe? No, wait, I-I think left?" Ron stuttered. He held the Kimmunicator inches away from his sweaty face, and he frantically tried to make out their location from the intricate building layout.

"You don't know?" Monique guessed with a frustrated sigh.

When Ron shook his head sadly, she snatched the device and inspected the map herself. The blonde boy peered over her shoulder anxiously as they both examined the white lines surrounding the flashing blue dot.

"Do you know which ways out?" Kim turned towards a doubled over Shego.

"Do you… really think that bitch… let me out of my cell to… explore her hellhole?" Shego wheezed in between heavy breaths, her hand clammy with sweat and blood.

"Damnit. Monique, which way did you come through to find us?" Kim questioned as she saw the fashion diva also struggle to find an exit. Every direction on the map looked to lead to various rooms and dead ends, and she skimmed the small screen for a way to the stairs.

"Girlfriend, I was more worried about finding you and not falling over in this dress," Monique sighed tiredly, running a hand through her tangled, frizzy hair. "I can't even remember how I got here."

"Why don't you just… call Nerdlinger or something?" Shego panted as she started feeling a little lightheaded from the lack of food, sleep, and water. All that combined with the sudden exertion of energy made her want to pass out.

_I'm an idiot. Of course, Wade can guide us!_

Before Kim could respond, the underground facility was bathed in red and crimson hues. Alarm sirens blared through the silence, and flashing lights pierced the air like knives. The four yelped and looked around frantically, trying to regain their focus through all the chaos.

Shego immediately stiffened and held onto Kim's hand tighter, seemingly shrinking in fear. Her emerald eyes were wide and filled with panic, the pupils buzzing back and forth like a busy bee. She was trying to hide it under the mask of annoyance and disinterest, but Kim could see just how terrified Shego was.

"We'll get out of here," Kim assured, her tone confident.

She gently squeezed Shego's hand, finally acknowledging their interlocked fingers. The pale thief glanced at Kim for a brief second before returning the comforting gesture.

"Ron!" Kim yelled over the alarm bells, the blonde boy snapping his head up look at her. "Call Wade and ask him to guide us to the nearest exit!"

"Got it, KP!" Ron quickly dialed Wade and waited only a short moment before he picked up.

After a total of ten blurry seconds, Wade was directing them down a hidden hallway in the opposite direction. Sirens pounded their ears, and the wild alarm lights gave everything a blood-like glow. Their swift jog turned into an all-out sprint as they neared a staircase, but Shego suddenly slowed and yanked Kim back.

"Wait!" Shego stopped as the teens whipped their heads around to look at her.

"What's wrong?" Kim asked, her darting eyes checking to see if the villainess was hurt.

"We need to get the giant litter box!" Shego exclaimed with heavy breaths, glancing over her shoulder.

"The _what_?"

"Lucifer!"

"_Who_?"

"The mutant scorpion-tiger thing!"

"The one that attacked you and destroyed your apartment?" Ron asked incredulously.

"_YES_!" Shego cried as the teens looked at her as if she just sprouted another head.

"Girlfriend, I think you're a little lightheaded from the running and lack of sleep-" Monique started slowly.

"No, we need to get him!"

Thick metal walls suddenly slid down in front of them, blocking off their exit. Everyone jumped back like spooked cats and looked at Shego expectantly, their eyes hopeful and frantic.

"What?" Shego asked, feeling everyone's gaze settle on her.

"What do you mean _'what?'_ Burn the wall down so we can get out!" Ron yelled, waving his arms around wildly as if he was swatting flies.

"I _can't_!" Shego retorted with a low growl. "DNAmy did something to my powers, and now I can't even warm _myself_ up!"

"You couldn't have told us that earlier?!" Ron asked, getting more anxious by the second.

"Guys, calm down!" Kim called, pulling Shego over to the Kimmunicator. "Wade, is there another way out?"

"I think so, turn around and take a left," Wade was sweating as he intently examined the map and their location.

"The alarms are too loud, so you're going to have to give Ron the directions!" Kim ran in the back with Shego, letting the older woman use her body as support.

"We're on it, KP!" Ron led the pack with Monique hot on his heels.

The four sprinted through the winding hallways, occasionally having to switch directions due to heavy, metal walls blocking their path.

"Wait, Ron! I said turn _right_!" Wade yelled as the blonde boy made a sharp wrong turn.

"Oh, sorry Wade, I-" Ron skidded to a screeching halt as he came face to face with DNAmy. Monique bumped into him from behind, making him stumble forward closer to the geneticist.

DNAmy smiled and twirled a small, black remote around her fingers, her expression wickedly sweet and cheery.

Kim stepped in front of Ron and Monique defiantly as she stared right into DNAmy's dark eyes, shielding her friends. With a swift glance at the remote, Shego felt her insides start to tremble as she gently touched the collar around her neck. A menacing snarl contorted on her face as she tightened her grip on Kim's hand, almost making the teen lose circulation.

"Hello, Kim Possible! How nice of you and your _"evil fashion designer"_ to come and stop by," DNAmy smirked at Monique who just scoffed in return.

"Uh- I'm here too?" Ron stepped up, but the geneticist ignored him.

"We just came to take back what you stole," Kim stated calmly, trying to hold back her nerves.

"I'm sure you did, sweetie," DNAmy laughed, her tone disdainful. "But do tell me, Kimberly, why does the fate of your arch-nemesis matter so much to you? I'm _very_ curious."

"That's none of your business you sick bitch," Monique retorted, her hands clenched into fists.

"I wasn't asking you, _Ms. Mon_. Now, Kim, I think it'd be in your best interest if you cooperated," DNAmy held up the remote daintily with chubby fingers. "Do you remember what this is, Shego?"

Shego's face turned paler than usual, almost a ghostly white as fear flashed in her wide, emerald eyes. She didn't respond as she continued to stare heatedly, taking a tiny step closer to Kim. The petite redhead looked at the remote and then back at Shego's collar, making the connection.

_Whatever that remote does, it's definitely not good._

"Shego's a… friend," Kim stated firmly, ignoring the shocked looks from everyone. "And friends don't leave each other to become lab rats for evil insane scientists like you!"

Shego stared at Kim, jaw slightly agape at her declaration.

"How interesting. I _have_ noticed a drastic change in behavior from Shego during our last few tests. She was more… sad," DNAmy tapped her round chin thoughtfully before smiling nonchalantly at Kim. "Hand Shego over so we can continue our… procedure, and you and your little friends can walk away with all of your limbs."

"No," Kim, Monique, and Ron responded all at once, surprising Shego even more.

"Fine by me," DNAmy shrugged as she pressed a button on the remote.

Shego's body immediately convulsed as she screamed hoarsely, sending tiny shocks of electricity up Kim's arm. The teen hero's body stiffened, and she felt Shego squeeze her hand in pain. Ron and Monique looked at the spasming villainess in astonishment, feeling helpless and baffled to what was happening.

It only took Kim a second to recollect her senses and bunch her muscles, ready to tackle DNAmy. As she was about to let go of Shego's twitching hand, a loud roar sounded from behind the geneticist.

The painful waves of electricity diminished as a very angry, mutant saber-toothed tiger stepped in front of Shego protectively. With a massive paw, he swatted the remote out of a shocked DNAmy's hands. It soared in the air and slammed into the wall, shattering into a million black shards.

"_That's Lucifer_?!" Monique gawked at the massive creature shielding them.

"Yep," Shego confirmed weakly with a proud nod.

Lucifer bared his long teeth and flicked his scorpion tail aggressively as the bewildered teens watched the scene unfold. Recovering from her earlier surprise, DNAmy quickly whipped out another remote and pressed the button, making the beast reel back in pain.

"Bad Lucifer!" DNAmy scolded as the mutant tiger screeched through the persisting shocks. "You're supposed to attack _them_, not _me_!"

An agitated Lucifer crouched as the collar vibrated violently around his neck, and DNAmy tried to move the giant mass of tan fur away from Shego.

"Crazy lady's distracted, time to go!" Ron said hurriedly, taking a few steps back.

"We can't leave him!" Shego argued, staring powerless at the writhing creature.

"Girl, we can't even fit him in my car! I'm with Ron!" Monique called, following the blonde boy in the opposite direction.

"Shego, let's _go!_" Kim pleaded, her tone getting desperate.

"No! I'm gonna fucking _slaughter_ DNAmy!" Shego growled, taking a step forward towards the geneticist and creature. "Lucifer!-"

A gentle tug suddenly stopped her boiling rampage, and she looked at Kim's hand still joined with hers.

"Let me go, Kimmie. I'm gonna fucking strangle her!" Shego hissed with a rasp, trying to pull away from Kim's tight grip.

"Shego, you're not thinking straight. You can't use your plasma, and you can barely stand on your own right now," Kim pointed out, her voice even despite the storm of chaos unfolding around them.

"So?!"

"We came to get you out, I'm not leaving until you _get out_!"

"You don't know what she did to me! That dirty bitch can't just get away with it!" Shego retorted, a flash of pain striking in her enraged emerald eyes.

"We'll get your revenge, but right now we _need_ to go," Kim urged, getting more worried. "Please, Shego."

_Damnit Shego! We're running out of time!_

Lucifer struggled more and lashed his scorpion stinger around wildly, making DNAmy have to dodge and duck his random attacks. Every time she tried to move around him, he only snapped his jaws and slashed an outstretched paw to block her. She huffed in frustration, not being able to see the retreating teens and Shego behind the outraged creature.

"Is revenge really worth Ron and Monique's life?" Kim asked, taking a more rational approach.

Shego didn't budge.

"Yours?"

Shego still hadn't moved a muscle.

"…mine?" Kim asked softly. Well, as soft as she could over the cacophony of sounds.

The wounded villainess stared right into Kim's insistent olive eyes, letting the seconds stretch.

"No," Shego sighed defeatedly. "But Lucifer-"

"DNAmy won't kill him. We'll come back for him," Kim promised, slowly pulling a reluctant Shego away.

Shego cast one last look over her shoulder to see Lucifer staring right at her, despite his body shaking with electricity. His dark, beady eyes were pained yet clear, and the two had an unspoken understanding for a very brief moment. It was almost as if he was saying, "This is your chance to escape. Don't make me get shocked for nothing."

Kim squeezed the older woman's hand and swiftly followed Ron and Monique, leaving the geneticist and mutant tiger behind. They found their exit and fled up the stairs, dashing past the stunned employee sitting at the checkout counter. With sighs of relief, the four stumbled into Monique's car and drove away from the innocent-looking pet store.

_Mission accomplished…sorta._

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Kim, you'll get your chance to make things right with Shego, be patient!

Edit: (Adding a new disclaimer on the top, here it is if you missed it!) I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!


	29. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Warning! Y'all better buckle up cause this next (really long) chapter is filled with mostly mush and finally making amends. I'd recommend listening to some sad music while reading this chapter to really get the full experience ;-;

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 28_

Kim had a million questions she wanted to ask Shego, but the pale villainess had crashed almost immediately after they got in Monique's car. Her head had slumped over onto Kim's shoulder, and she still clasped onto the redhead's hand subconsciously. Her tousled raven hair draped over parts of her face, concealing the torturous collar still strapped around her reddened neck underneath.

_She's exhausted. Did she even get to sleep over there?_

Monique drove as speedily as she could back to Kim's house, and whenever they'd hit a bump in the road, Shego would instinctively tighten her grip on Kim's hand. The teen hero didn't mind the dead weight on her shoulder or lost circulation in her hand, and she most certainly didn't mind their interlaced fingers.

_She's asleep and needs something to squeeze the life out of. Us holding hands doesn't really mean anything._

"And then I said '_your lab coat is simply magnificent and all the rage for mad scientists globally!'_" Monique wheezed, barely able to contain her laughter from retelling her time distracting DNAmy.

"And she believed she was a fashion _icon_?" Ron asked incredulously.

Rufus sat intently on his shoulder, cackling from their mockery and sharing their individual experiences at DNAmy's lab.

"She thought her lab coat was _special_!" Monique exclaimed loudly, finally giving into all-out laughing with Ron.

"Guys, Shego's sleeping," Kim whispered to the two hollering and giggling teens in the front.

"Girlfriend, Shego's knocked out cold. I don't even think she'd wake up if I crashed this car into a lake," Monique laughed, her chocolate eyes focused on the road ahead.

"Yeah, besides, if Shego was awake from us, I doubt she'd be resting on you," Ron pointed out, glancing over his shoulder.

Feeling her shoulder start to ache, Kim twisted her body slightly so that Shego could lay her head on her chest.

_What did DNAmy do to her? _

"At least Shego looks super comfy," Monique remarked casually, stealing an amused glimpse at the two girls from the rearview mirror.

"You're like a pillow, KP," Ron agreed with a lighthearted chuckle.

When Kim didn't respond, Monique studied her out of the corner of her eye in the rearview mirror. Her mocha-toned hands gripped the steering wheel as she continued to glance back and forth between the road and the two girls in the backseat.

"Kim," Monique said loudly, snapping the redhead out of her thoughts.

"Huh? What?" Kim shook her head and willed her glazed olive eyes to become alert and focused. "Sorry Mo, did you say something?"

"Just that Shego looks really comfy on top of you," Monique snickered.

"Oh, yeah. She's just tired," Kim laughed halfheartedly, gazing blankly at the sleeping villainess.

"You ok? You kinda spaced out there for a second," Monique asked, her tone light but still serious.

"Sorry, I know. I was just…thinking," Kim sighed, still staring at the top of Shego's head.

Getting the message that Kim didn't feel like sharing her thoughts at the moment, Monique accepted the answer and went back to driving through Kim and Ron's neighborhood.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Ron asked, oblivious to the Kim not wanting to talk.

"Everything, Ron. I have so many questions, and everything's just so confusing," Kim replied softly, gently pushing strands of midnight hair away from Shego's face.

"Hopefully we'll all get some of those questions answered, cause we're here," Monique said as she pulled into Kim's driveway and parked the car.

"Finally! I'm starving!" Ron cheered, licking his lips excitedly.

"Food!" Rufus squealed as he hopped into Ron's pants pocket.

Monique unbuckled her seatbelt and whipped her head around to look at the two girls before adding, "Oh, and you're waking her up."

"I'm with Monique! I do _not _want to be stuck in a car with a cranky Shego," Ron sputtered as he practically fell out of the car in a hurry.

Monique followed him out and they walked to Kim's front porch, chatting lightly while they waited for the teen hero and villainess.

Kim looked down at Shego's unconscious body draped over her, and she could finally see how much weight she lost. Her mostly exposed body was covered in bruises, blisters, and gashes, and her pale green skin was stained a faint cherry red around her wounds.

"Shego, wake up," Kim gently shook the villainess, still supporting her slumped-over head.

"Hmm?" Shego groaned as she swallowed dryly, her throat feeling like a desert.

"We're at my house. It's time to get up," Kim said gently, carefully nudging her awake.

Shego's dull emerald eyes fluttered open, and she managed to focus on Kim's worried face after a few disoriented blinks. With a visible wince, she lifted her head off of the petite redhead's chest and looked at their position wearily. She didn't even have enough energy to make the anticipated sexual innuendo or sarcastic remark, which surprised Kim.

"Oh…ok," Shego murmured, still unmoving. Her voice was low and weary, and her body felt like it just got ran over by a bus. All of the adrenaline and energy she felt when escaping the lab had dissipated, being replaced by waves of fatigue and lethargicness.

"Ron and Monique are waiting for us," Kim informed and opened the car door.

"I'm up, I'm up. Get off me," Shego snapped halfheartedly, stifling a yawn.

"_You're_ the one on me," Kim snorted, pushing the older woman off her chest.

"…whatever, Princess."

"Come on, we can get some food and water inside," Kim promised as she half-guided half-dragged Shego out of the car.

The pale villainess didn't even feel snarky enough to push Kim away, so she begrudgingly followed the teen towards her house, still hand in hand. Her pounding head was whirling around violently as she leaned practically all of her weight on Kim, too tired to keep up her tough attitude and walk herself.

Monique quirked an eyebrow at the two girls, but she decided to keep her mouth shut when she saw Shego's distracted stare at nothing in particular. The pale thief's face was contorted into a deep frown, and she listened intently as Ron and Monique kept sharing their sides of the story from breaking into DNAmy's lab.

"You risked your lives…for a jackass like me?" Shego asked suddenly, her raspy voice barely a whisper.

The three teens blinked at her abrupt statement, a bit unsure on how to respond to something so serious.

Kim regained her senses and spoke first. "Of course, Shego. I would've done the same for any of you guys." She squeezed Shego's cold hand and smiled warmly at her best friends.

"Girlfriend, you're not a jackass," Monique added with a smile of her own.

"Most of the time," Ron muttered as the fashion diva nudged him sharply.

"Anyways," Monique rolled her mocha eyes and continued. "I agree with Kim. That's what friends do."

"A friend of Kim's is a friend of mine," Ron nodded at Shego with his usual goofy smile. "Even if that friend is you."

Shego blinked in astonishment at the three smiling teens, and she felt Kim nudge her playfully.

"Friends are gross…but _I guess_ you guys are tolerable," Shego admitted with an exaggerated sigh, unable to conceal the small smile on her brightening face. "Just barely though."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Monique chuckled.

"It sounded like a compliment," Ron gasped in mock awe.

"Don't think too much of it," Shego scoffed and looked away with mock offensiveness. After a moment, she softened her expression and lowered her head. "But…thank you anyways."

"Anytime," Ron grinned as Rufus squeaked excitedly.

"We got your back, girlfriend," Monique winked.

"It's no big, Shego," Kim replied gently.

The older woman lifted her head and stared directly at Kim, her face blank and unreadable.

_Why can I never tell what she's feeling?_

"I'll have to admit though, it's been forever since we went on a mission. The thrill was so exciting!" Ron broke the silence with his usual enthusiasm.

"That was more stressful than finals week," Kim laughed as she opened the door to her house, letting go of Shego's hand.

"Definitely, but that was the most fun I've had in months!" Monique agreed and tightened the falling strap of her torn outfit.

The fashion diva looked down at her ripped dress, and she finally acknowledged her missing sunglasses with a dry chuckle.

"Although, I think my clothes have seen better days," Monique said. "Kim, you owe me a shopping trip, and you better come with!"

"I owe you more than that, but deal," Kim nodded.

Kim and Ron went inside first, and Monique was about to follow until Shego suddenly stopped her with a hesitant cough.

"Uh- Monique?" Shego started.

"What is it?"

"I can't fucking believe how many times I'm saying this today-" Shego sighed and shook her head incredulously. "But I'm sorry… for how I behaved back at your apartment. I didn't mean what I said about your fashion."

Monique quirked an eyebrow before softening her expression into a lighthearted grin. "Girl, I _know_ you didn't mean what you said. No hard feelings."

"You did?"

"Well, you did spend over three hours looking through my outfit designs and almost a full day browsing my closet," Monique reminded with another laugh.

"You've got good taste," Shego shrugged.

"I'm glad."

"I was tempted to steal something."

"And I'm glad you _didn't,_" Monique said with an edge to her voice, her mocha eyes sparkling.

The two stepped inside and were immediately greeted by Kim's mother sipping a cup of coffee.

"Kim? Ron? Monique?" Ann almost spat out her hot beverage as she looked at the new arrivals in surprise.

"Hi, Mom," Kim greeted nervously. It was a bit past noon, and the teens were supposed to be in school right now.

"Hi, Mrs. Dr. Possible," Ron and Monique smiled as Rufus popped out of his pocket and waved.

"Shego?!" Ann gasped as she spotted the wounded villainess standing near the back.

"The one and only," Shego grunted, already uncomfortable.

"What happened to you all? Why aren't you in school?!" Ann set down her mug and ushered the four into the living room.

"Long story," Kim sighed.

"We need to get you all to the hospital!" Ann gasped, spotting the dozens of cuts, bruises, and gashes all over Shego's exposed body.

"No! No hospitals!" Shego shrieked as everyone whipped their heads around to stare at her perplexedly.

"What's wrong with a hospital?" Ann asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"They're like labs. You're trapped and confined to bed while people do shit to you," Shego grumbled quietly, clenching her fists at the terrible memories.

"Don't we have some medical supplies here too, Mom?" Kim asked with a swift glance at the wounded villainess.

"Not as many as I'd like, but I suppose I could use my lunch break to treat you all," Ann smiled and dashed to a cabinet.

Shego collapsed onto the couch, her limbs sore and numb with fatigue. The three teens followed suit and began recounting their break-in and encounter with DNAmy to Mrs. Dr. Possible, leaving several of the danger factors out. Shego mostly stayed silent throughout the whole story and assumed a mask of disinterest, clearly not in the mood to talk about her personal experience in the lab.

"And what did DNAmy do to you, Shego?" Ann asked once the teens had finished their retelling. She had brought back glasses of water which the four gulped down gratefully. With skilled hands and her first aid kit, she began treating the minor wounds on Ron and Kim.

"Lots of stuff," Shego grunted vaguely.

"Care to elaborate?"

"No."

_What happened at the lab is obviously a sore spot for Shego. I can't even imagine what DNAmy did to her._

"Tell us!" Ron chirped, missing the change in the villainess's distant expression.

"No, lay off it."

"We wanna know, Shego!" Ron pleaded, curious as to why the pale thief didn't want to share anything.

"Ron-" Kim said softly.

"If you don't leave me alone, Stoppable, I'll rip this collar off myself and choke you with it," Shego threatened tiredly, Kim shooting her a piercing glare.

_I guess Shego still has a long way to go with Ron. _

"Wanna get something to eat Ron?" Monique suggested after reading the villainess's change in behavior.

"Sure! Should we order takeout?" Ron asked, clearly unfazed by Shego's empty threat. He stood up as Rufus chattered excitedly at the mention of food.

"There are some leftovers in the fridge if you'd like, help yourself," Ann offered, inspecting Shego's collar tentatively. The pale villainess instinctively flinched, wary of the device responding to the gentle probe and shocking her.

When Ron and Monique disappeared into the kitchen, Ann started rummaging through her limited medical supplies. She pulled out a small syringe, about the size of her finger, and brought it up to Shego's neck.

"_No_! Get that thing away from me!" Shego screeched, trying to swat the needle away and cover her blistered neck.

"It's just local Lidocaine, it'll numb the pain when I take off your collar," Ann informed gently. "You'll only feel a small pinch."

"Shego, she's just trying to help," Kim sighed. Taking a closer look at Shego's neck, her olive eyes widened to see several puncture wounds surrounding the black collar.

"No needles!" Shego hissed, covering the holes dotting her neck.

"Shego-"

"I'm done cleaning up your wounds Kim. You can go up to your room now if you want," Ann's tone made it sound like more of a command than an offer.

Kim seemed to have gotten the hint and reluctantly trudged up to her room.

She laid down on her bed and examined her newly cleaned and wrapped wounds, letting her eyes drift to the unfinished homework laying on her desk.

_I can't believe I still have to do homework after everything that happened today. _

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego rasped on the door, peeking inside to see Kim sitting at her desk with her nose buried in a textbook.

"Mom?" Kim asked, not looking up from her homework.

"I hope not," Shego replied wryly.

Kim snapped her head up and whipped around to see Shego standing in her room, her wounds covered in thick layers of bandages.

"Oh hey, Shego," Kim greeted as she walked over to the villainess. "Where's my mom?"

"Left to go back to work. She told me to tell you to catch up on schoolwork since you missed your classes today," Shego informed.

"I'm trying," Kim gave a small laugh.

"Princess, I can't believe you need your parents to remind you to do homework," Shego smirked.

_I know where this is going._

"You're such a kid," Shego went on with a low snicker.

_And there it is._

Kim just rolled her olive eyes at the degrading comment, too tired to protest that she was 18 and a legal adult.

"How're you feeling?" Kim changed the subject when she saw the villainess holding something in her hand.

"Like a million bucks," Shego said sardonically with an eye roll.

She gingerly touched her bandaged neck, the collar gone but leaving a deep indentation. Tossing the device in her hand over to Kim, she let the teen inspect the severed collar.

"Why did she put this around your neck?" Kim asked as she riddled with the thick black strap.

Shego shrugged and rubbed the back of her head. "She shocked me whenever I didn't want to do something or misbehaved."

"I'm assuming you misbehaved a lot then?" Kim guessed bluntly.

Shego grinned slightly. "I'm a bad girl."

"Is your body… ok from all the electricity then?"

"Electric shocks really mess with your head, but I'm fine I guess," Shego remarked, shrugging with disinterest. "They weren't as bad as a shock I had a while ago."

Kim knew the comment wasn't directed towards her, but it didn't stop her body from flinching.

_Electric…shocks._

All of Kim's bottled up emotions started to simmer in their bloated confinement, shaking in her very core. Waves of horrific memories and nightmarish flashbacks flashed through her crumbling mind, and she could feel her heart begin to shudder from the terrifying images.

She desperately attempted to push away the terrible feelings she'd been ignoring and trying to forget, but the persistence was too much to handle.

And when the glass couldn't take the pressure anymore… she finally broke.

"Shego… I'm so sorry!" Kim cried suddenly as she collapsed on her knees. The teen hero hung her head with shame as she let her pent up emotions spill out, gripping the floor on her hands and knees.

Shego stiffened in surprise at Kim's sudden outburst, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Kim openly sobbed, not caring if the whole world could hear her broken cries and declarations.

"I almost fucking murdered you, and I didn't even feel anything of it until after it happened!"

"I watched you basically die before my eyes… and I didn't do anything about it!"

"I kicked you into that tower and watched you get shocked nearly to death…"

"But I didn't fucking do anything to help you!"

"I didn't _feel_ anything!"

Feeling angrier at herself, Kim pounded the ground with a furious clenched fist.

"I could've killed you... I _would've_ killed you…"

With a choked exhale, she stared intently at the growing pool of tears forming on the shiny floor. Her blurred reflection stared back at her, hazy olive eyes twisted by the liquid into an almost accusing glare.

"I'm a monster..."

_What have I done?_

She squeezed her moistened eyes shut tightly, wanting to get away from her warped reflection in the cursed mirror.

"…Shego…"

Kim hung her head lower, unable to meet the villainess's gaze.

"I know… I don't deserve your forgiveness but…"

"…_I'm so sorry_…"

Kim almost couldn't finish the sentence, her tiny voice barely a whisper and raw with sheer guilt.

_I can't take back what I've done._

Letting the inviting darkness consume her wrecked petite body, Kim sunk deeper into its grasp with nothing but a dying fire. Each individually burning flame started to extinguish, losing their happy glow and burning soul energy.

And when her delicately healing world felt like it would shatter into a million unwanted fragments once again, she felt strong, promising arms wrap around her. They held the fragile pieces back up again, keeping them together and afloat amongst the turbulent waves of remorse.

Thinking her mind was betraying her and she had finally tipped into the pit of insanity, Kim ignored the supposedly imagined touch and continued to weep relentlessly. It was only when the arms tightened around her, that she was reeled back from the sea of penitence and into the warm light.

Shego sat next to the broken teen hero and pulled her into her lap. She held Kim tightly, wrapping her pale arms around the redhead's body like a protective blanket.

Kim instinctively twisted in Shego's embrace, and she turned her body so that she was curled up against the older woman's chest. Unable to stop the endless river of emotions, she continued to choke on the thick air and bawl into the villainess's bare shoulder.

"Kim…" Shego whispered, gently cradling the back of the teen's head. She caressed her wild, red hair soothingly, letting the individual strands weave between her pale fingers.

Her other hand was resting around the younger woman's small waist, holding her against Shego's mostly exposed body. Still stroking Kim's hair, she patiently waited for her to calm down enough so she could fully absorb what Shego was about to say.

"You may be a prissy, annoying brat… An emotionally unstable, impulsive kid… And a goodie-goodie little miss perfect," Shego read off her list with a tiny laugh.

When Kim didn't respond or react, she hardened her voice and fixed her expression to look deadly serious.

"But you're not a monster," Shego finished gently.

"But… I almost killed you…" Kim repeated, her voice trance-like.

Pushing Kim away slightly, Shego gazed deeply into the teen's foggy eyes and willed them to focus on her.

"But you didn't. I'm still here… I'm right here."

A few moments of silence passed as piercing emerald eyes stared at distant olive eyes, the air turning still.

"…Kim…"

Shego urged Kim to look directly at her, their faces only inches apart.

"I already forgave you…" Shego said softly, her breath a mere whisper in the cool air.

Shego cupped Kim's grief-stricken face with her free hand, tenderly wiping away a tear with her thumb. Offering a small smile, the villainess let her hand rest there on the teen's glistening cheek while Kim blinked in astonishment. Her slack jaw was slightly agape as she took a few long seconds to process what Shego just said.

_She… forgives me._

Feeling a rush of new emotions take over her wrecked body, Kim reluctantly started sobbing again as she was unable to make her mouth form words. She buried her face into Shego's chest, and with a shaky breath, she let all of the built-up pain wash away like the sweet drops of rain after a raging wildfire.

Shego pulled Kim into a tighter hug and let the teen melt into her body, sheltered by her warmth and comfort. Long strands of raven hair fell over the two curled up girls like thin ribbons, encasing their faces with streaked shadows. Shego's sports bra was soaked with tears as Kim clung to her shoulders, hands quivering slightly.

"I'm sorry too…" Shego said suddenly after Kim's sobs turned into sniffles.

"You… already… apologized… earlier," Kim hiccupped as her throat tightened with emotion.

"No… I'm sorry for everything I did to you in the past when I worked for Drakken," Shego sighed and looked down at the smaller girl she was holding. "I made your life hell."

"No, Shego," Kim replied, her voice cracked and unsteady but still firm.

Lifting her heavy head, Kim stared right up into Shego's dull emerald eyes. They had lost their bright sparkle and the usual twinkle of mischief, pools of regret and sorrow filling in the gaps instead. It was so unShego-like that Kim had to blink twice to make sure she wasn't imagining it.

"You made my life _better_…" Kim murmured once she regained control of her voice. "…I was enchanted to meet you all those years ago…"

Shego's carefully constructed wall trembled, and her tough facade started to slowly crumble under Kim's sincere gaze. She forcefully willed herself to not give in to the growing feelings, because in her mind, it was a sign of weakness. Gnashing her teeth with physical effort, her futile attempts couldn't stop the rising water.

And then… her barrier snapped.

Like a drowning rock in a pond, she sank into the younger woman pressed against her with a heavy heart.

With a strained cry, Shego let the withheld tears burst forth like water from a dam. All of her precariously bottled up pain, stress, and worries spilled onto Kim as her walls finally collapsed, and the flood ran freely. The villainess didn't even have enough energy to mentally slap herself for letting the cascading emotions make her appear so vulnerable.

Shego couldn't stop herself as she started bawling into Kim's tousled, crimson mane, locks of red hair concealing her face. She shakily inhaled the soothing cinnamon scent, desperate but unable to keep herself reserved and concealed under the mask of unconcern.

_Shego's… crying?_

Kim wrapped her arms gently around Shego's reddened neck, pulling her closer into the embrace. The two girls clung onto each other as if it were their last breath, and they let their salty tears interweave freely.

Shego inwardly shook her head in complete mortification. The two strong, independent fighters had been reduced to pathetic crying messes, and she was willingly letting it happen. It was strange and foreign to Shego.

"What is all that noise?" Ron muttered to Rufus who just shrugged in return.

Unbeknownst to them, Ron had heard their cries from downstairs and went up to check on Kim. He poked his head into her room, and his eyes widened in surprise to see the two girls crying.

As he was about to barge in and ask what was wrong, he felt urgent hands cover his mouth and yank him back roughly.

"_Mmmffh_!" Ron's shocked yelp was muffled by a feminine hand.

He spotted sparkly red nail polish out of the corner of his eye and whipped his head around to face Monique.

"_Monique_! What are you doing?" Ron asked rather loudly.

"Keep your voice down, you nosy boy!" Monique hissed into his ear, pointing at Kim's door.

"Why? I just wanted to-" Ron furrowed a brow, wanting to see what was making the two girls cry. He'd never seen Shego cry before, especially not in front of Kim.

"_Shh_! Let them have a moment," Monique said softly and wrapped an arm around his waist.

"What _moment_?" Ron frowned even more, trying to wiggle out of Monique's grip and go back to Kim's room.

Monique shook her head as she hastily led him to the staircase, her arms locked around the blonde boy so he couldn't escape.

"_Their _moment," Monique corrected with a knowing grin.

She winked at his confused face and gestured for him to go downstairs, staring him down to make sure he complied.

Before leaving, she glanced over her shoulder and closed Kim's bedroom door quietly. She smiled to herself when she caught a glimpse of the two broken girls, shedding tears into each other's comforting arms.

"Well, what do ya know?" Monique whispered to herself.

She shook her head in disbelief, still smiling at nothing in particular.

"A wounded hero and villain…healing together."

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego stared at the ceiling, her dull eyes looking at nothing but the inky darkness of the guest bedroom. Despite her body screaming for her to get some much-needed sleep, her mind was racing as it replayed the events of the long day. The insomnia was vexing.

She tossed and turned on the small bed, never finding a comfortable position to rest her newly-bandaged neck. Letting the silence overwhelm her exhausted body, she thought about Kim's apology.

She visibly winced with embarrassment at the memory of her openly crying, and she mentally scolded herself for giving in to her emotions. I mean, hello? Loser much?

Sighing with frustration and tiredness, Shego walked out of the guest bedroom for some air.

Without even realizing it, her feet dragged themselves towards Kim's bedroom, and the pale villainess found herself at the doorway. Her body started moving without instruction from her mind, and Shego was appalled when she knocked on the door softly. When there was no answer, she creaked it open and peeked into the mostly dark room.

Shego tip toed deeper into the bedroom, her steps lighter than downy feathers. She stopped beside Kim's bed and stared blankly at the teen hero. Kim thrashed in her sleep, flailing her arms and kicking wildly with her face contorted in a constant grimace. Low whines and incoherent moans escaped her dry lips, and Shego had to dodge a swift punch from the teen.

"Kimmie?" Shego gently shook the distraught redhead.

"Huh? What?" Kim sputtered, her dazed olive eyes fluttering open.

Her forehead was laced with beads of sweat, and her wet cheeks glistened in the pale moonlight. Taking a moment to focus her confused pupils, she blinked a few times before letting her eyes fall upon the dark outline of a thin figure.

"Shego?"

"Yeah… it's me, Pumpkin."

"What's wrong?" Kim asked with a small frown.

_It's the middle of the night. I thought Shego would've been sleeping for a week straight._

"... Can I stay here tonight?" Shego whispered, shuffling her feet with embarrassment. "I can't sleep… and your dumb guest room is freaking me out."

Kim squinted through the engulfing darkness to study Shego's downcast and obviously ashamed face.

"Of course you can," Kim said softly. "I don't like the guest room either."

Shego nodded and trudged to a corner of the bedroom. It was the same corner she sheltered in on the first night she broke into the teen hero's house. Before she could sit down and curl into a ball, Kim's voice stopped her.

"The bed's big enough for two," Kim informed with a small shrug. "You can sleep with me if you want."

"I don't think I'm in the mood for anything fun tonight," Shego smirked suggestively, her cocky attitude returning for a brief moment.

Kim rolled her tired eyes at the expected comment and patted the large space next to her.

"Well… since you _insist_," Shego gave an exaggerated sigh and walked over to the other side of the bed.

She sat down awkwardly and watched Kim draw an imaginary line with her finger, straight down the middle of the bed.

"This is your side," Kim gestured to Shego's half. "And this is mine."

"I'm taller than you. Don't I technically deserve more space?" Shego asked as she collapsed onto her back, emerald eyes staring at the ceiling.

"Do you seriously need the whole bed to yourself?"

"The _whole _bed? Are you calling me fat?"

Kim snorted and laid back down, feeling too weary to argue. A few seconds of tense silence passed before Shego spoke again.

"Kimmie?"

"Hm?"

"Were you having a nightmare?" Shego asked, her face expressionless.

Kim sighed and ran a hand through her tangled, red hair. "Yeah… I get them every night."

Shego didn't respond as she continued to gaze blankly at nothing, and Kim almost thought she'd fallen asleep.

"…I do too," Shego admitted softly after a while, her voice barely audible.

Knowing how hard it must've been for the proud villainess to admit something like that, Kim said nothing and nodded even though Shego couldn't see. She suddenly remembered something and reached over to the lamp on her bed-stand, letting her hand hover over the switch.

"Lights on or off?" Kim asked.

"Off," Shego replied immediately. "The bitch always kept the lights on in my cell… I never got any sleep."

"Okay," Kim retracted her arm and snuggled into her wrinkled pillow.

She closed her eyes and let drowsiness take over her wounded body, the first stages of sleep trickling in.

"Goodnight, Shego."

"...Goodnight, Kimmie."

When sleep finally came for the two wounded girls, their sides of the bed didn't matter, and the imaginary line separating the two had vanished into what it already was. Imaginary.

No more nightmares haunted the night as their minds drifted aimlessly through a blank, yet comforting, paralyzed darkness.

And as they slept unknowingly in each other's arms, they experienced their first peaceful and content rest in months.

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Alrighty, wow… that was a long chapter. I know Kim's apology here was a bit sudden, but homegirl is really sorry and wants Shego to know that. The apology scene is mostly symbolic and metaphorical, with parts like Shego saying "I already forgave you" reflecting what Kim said in the previous chapter. I left most of Shego's emotions out during Kim's "rant," because I imagined her mind was basically blank throughout all that, and her feelings can be left to be interpreted by the readers. Oh and btw I stole a line from Taylor Swift's song "Enchanted," please don't sue me! But anyways, hope you enjoyed!


	30. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: The next few chapters will be more light-hearted to loosen up the plot before we dive right back in! Also, I'll be taking a bit more time to write chapters, so sorry if the updates are delayed!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 29_

"Did you get the information, Amy?" A man asked, shroud in shadows. He sat quietly at his large desk, twirling a ballpoint pen while studying blueprints of some sort.

DNAmy inwardly scowled at how she wasn't addressed as her villain name or doctor title, but she knew better than to argue. She continued to stare evenly at the computer screen, speaking lowly into the call.

"Well… yes and no, sir," DNAmy forced a reassuring smile. "I have all of the necessary information you need, but my tests were unfortunately interrupted before I could explore the source of her powers further."

"And what interruption was this?"

"Kim Possible and her friends," DNAmy growled.

"Kim Possible?"

"She and her little friends broke the subject out. A distraction was made so I was unable to stop them in time."

DNAmy didn't bother to tell him that she was tricked, albeit for a few minutes, into believing her lab coat was special. She also didn't bother sharing that her own mutant experiment had betrayed her.

"Why would Kim Possible risk her life to rescue someone who's been her sworn enemy for years?" The strange man asked dubiously.

"Sir, I believe the nature of their relationship has changed drastically."

"How so?"

"They're _friends_," DNAmy spat with absolute disgust.

The man chuckled darkly. "Friends? I find that hard to believe, Amy."

"I thought that too at first, but it's true."

"Shego wouldn't ally that deeply with her arch-nemesis. She's still got villain blood in her even if she's not wanted for any more crimes."

"I saw it with my very eyes."

"Hmm… quite interesting. I'll have to investigate their… partnership further," The man muttered under his breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Amy. Send the information over immediately."

"Already done."

"Excellent. The first piece to my puzzle," the man murmured.

And then the call went black.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"The answer's C, not A, Princess," Shego informed, pointing at Kim's blue textbook.

The villainess was kneeling behind a sitting Kim, an elbow propped up on the teen's head. Shego was pressed up lazily against Kim's back as she peered over her shoulder to look at the math homework. She wore a black sports bra and jeans since Mrs. Dr. Possible had insisted that the bandaged wounds on her abdomen needed to air dry. Her long raven hair hung loosely down her shoulders, and streaks of black tickled the sides of Kim's face.

"Since when did you know anything about Calculus?" Kim asked with a small smile.

She glanced up at Shego before changing her answer, pushing down a very faint blush.

_Should I be concerned that Shego's half-naked and pressed up against me? No, no don't even think about that._

"Since when did you _not _know anything about Calculus?" Shego retorted. "That's the fifth answer you've gotten wrong."

"So?"

"You're on the fifth problem."

Kim sighed and looked up sharply to see Ron and Monique snickering at her. The teens were all camping out at Monique's apartment working on missed homework this Sunday morning.

Saving the world was easy. But balancing all that with regular schoolwork and cheerleading? That was on a whole new level of next to impossible.

"Need any help KP?" Ron offered. "I'm already done."

"Thanks, Ron, but I got this," Kim stated, determined to finish her last page of homework.

She filled out another answer confidently.

"Pumpkin, you definitely don't," Shego snorted with a tired eye roll. "The answer's B on that one."

"You sure you don't want jersey boy's help, girl?" Monique chuckled as she flipped through her fashion notes.

Kim scoffed as she furiously scribbled in another answer. "I can do anything!"

"Apparently not math homework," Shego sneered. "Answer's C, Pumpkin."

"Or cooking," Ron added, grinning.

"Or not rushing into things without thinking," Monique laughed.

"Ok, I get it!" Kim sighed exasperatedly, a hint of a smile on her face.

After a half-hour of intense calculations paired with the occasional degrading remark from Shego, Kim set down her finished homework with a triumphant grin.

"Well, now that you kiddos are done working on shit you'll never use in real life," Shego suddenly started as she leaned off of Kim, idly playing with the ends of her bandages. "Let's go kick some pathetic ass."

The three teens stopped what they were doing and stared at her with blank expressions.

"What?" Kim finally asked after a moment of confused silence.

"DNAmy, doy! It's been two days? Her lab? Any of that ring a bell?" Shego replied with a roll of her emerald eyes.

She knocked on Kim's forehead playfully, checking to see if it was empty in there.

"Shego," Kim swatted the hand away with amusement. "Our injuries aren't healed yet, and you still don't have your plasma back."

"No offense girlfriend, but I don't think you're in any shape to kick anyone's ass right now," Monique looked Shego up and down skeptically.

"I can kick all of your asses with my eyes closed," Shego huffed, crossing her arms defensively over her chest.

"Yeah, right," Kim scoffed. "You couldn't even kick my ass before when you _weren't _injured."

"I _let _you win."

"As if, you're just too proud to admit that I can beat you fair and square," Kim smiled, a daring sparkle in her olive eyes.

"Watch it, Princess. I could literally murder you with a snap of my fingers if I wanted to," Shego snapped for dramatic effect.

Despite her angry tone, only Kim could see the teasing twinkle in the pale thief's now-clear emerald eyes.

_Glad to see Shego's returning back to her usual grumpy, snarky self. _

"Yet here I still am," Kim grinned and waved mockingly. "Alive and un-murdered."

"Is that an invitation?"

"To get your ass kicked? Absolutely," Kim chirped.

"Consider yourself lucky that I'm too tired to slap you across this room then," Shego smirked, flicking Kim's shoulder.

The unspoken restrained tension from the tower incident between the two girls had disappeared, and Shego was ever so slowly recovering from her traumatic experience with DNAmy. She still wouldn't explicitly share what the geneticist had done to her, but sometimes she let a piece or clue slide.

"Should we just leave them alone for a bit?" Monique whispered to Ron as she tried to stifle her giggles.

Ron frowned, oblivious to what Monique was implying.

"Uh- guys," Ron piped up from his seat on the sidelines, watching the two girls bicker. They blinked and looked up at him expectantly, Kim offering a sheepish smile for getting off track. "Weren't we talking about DNAmy?"

"Oh- uh, right. Sorry, Ron," Kim shook her head slightly and inwardly scolded herself for how easily Shego broke her focus.

"So back to kicking DNAmy into oblivion-" Shego drawled, inspected her black nails.

"Shego," Kim hardened her tone and looked directly at her, letting her smile fade. "No, it's too risky in the state we're in."

"I heal fast."

"I said '_we.'_ Ron and I don't recover as fast as you," Kim pointed out.

"Then I'll go by myself," Shego shrugged nonchalantly. In spite of her pride, her subconscious mind wanted Kim to be with her when they faced DNAmy again.

"You know I won't let you go back there by yourself."

"Always trying to be the hero, eh Kimmie?" Shego smiled wryly.

"Well, _someone's_ got to do all the hard stuff," Kim said. "And that's why I think it's stupid to go back right now while we're so unprepared."

"She's got the giant litter box locked up!" Shego protested, feeling a twinge of confusion for why she cared so much about the mutant tiger's fate.

"DNAmy isn't the type to kill her own creations."

_Well, at least, I hope she doesn't kill her creations. But she almost killed Shego so I might be wrong?_

"He helped us escape. It's only fair we do the same," Shego argued.

"Shego, it was hard enough getting in with just the three of us," Kim gestured to Ron and Monique who were sitting close together, listening intently. When Rufus squeaked indignantly, Kim corrected, "the _four_ of us."

"And I doubt I can work as a distraction this time too," Monique added.

"It'll be even harder breaking out with a 900-pound mutant big cat," Kim finished.

"We can figure something out," Shego grunted, fingering her neck bandages.

"Like what? Do you even have a plan?" Kim asked skeptically.

"Of course," Shego smirked. "We break in, blow shit up, kick DNAmy's ass into a sewer, grab fish sticks, then walk out the front door."

"Foolproof," Kim muttered with a deadpan expression.

"Well, that _was_ more well-thought-out than Kim's original plan to break you out, girlfriend," Monique laughed.

"Didn't KP not even have a plan at first?" Ron asked, remembering when they found the hidden backdoor.

"Well, I-" Kim started.

"That's _right_, Ron," Monique grinned at Shego. "As soon as she found out DNAmy was down there with you, she was about ready to immediately go find you without a single idea on how to do that."

"We had to stop her before she just waltzed right into the lab without a plan," Ron added as Kim playfully glared at him.

"Aww, was little Kimmie worried about me?" Shego pouted mockingly, sticking out her bottom lip at Kim.

"Very," Monique and Ron answered simultaneously before Kim could defend herself.

"She didn't even get any homework done during that time," Monique informed with a lighthearted chuckle.

"Honestly I don't blame you, Princess," Shego's smirk widened as she winked. "You just can't get enough of me."

Kim squawked in outrage but couldn't stop the faint blush rising to her cheeks from her friends' teasing. Her reddened cheeks didn't go unnoticed by Shego, and the villainess grinned triumphantly.

"Might I digress from the _very interesting_ topic of making fun of me-," Kim said through grit teeth. "But let's get back to DNAmy."

"Right, and how my plan is perfect," Shego nodded and began to stand up. "Let's blow this joint."

Kim suddenly shot her arm out rested it on the villainess's bare shoulder, stopping her from moving.

"It's too dangerous, Shego. We have to wait until we're more healed and prepared," Kim said slowly.

"You don't know how much torture she put me through, Kimmie," Shego growled, clenching and unclenching her fists.

She glanced at the hand laying on her shoulder but didn't shrug it off.

"That sick, twisted bitch constantly electrocuted me, not because it hurt, but because it reminded me of the shock from the tower incident," Shego scowled at no one in particular as she gingerly rubbed her sore neck.

Kim flinched from the mention of the incident, still finding that to be a sensitive topic. With a deep breath, she calmed down when she reminded herself that Shego had forgiven her.

"She stabbed me with needles as big as my fucking arm whenever she wanted me unconscious," Shego went on with her rant.

_So that's why she was so afraid of the syringe Mom tried to use on her._

"She gave me fucking Milkbones! As if I'd eat her disgusting dog treats!" Shego snarled, her teeth bared.

The three bewildered teens could only stare as Shego's anger started to bubble over dangerously.

_I wanted to know what happened, but I didn't want to find out like this!_

"I'm gonna fucking strangle her!" Shego's disoriented emerald eyes were now wild with rage. Frightening flashbacks blocked her mind from all rational reasoning, and she squeezed her eyes shut at the terrifying images.

_Her temper is even shorter now after what happened in the lab._

Shego clenched her fists and gnashed her teeth tightly as she continued her heated rant, unknowingly setting her hands ablaze with green energy.

Ron and Monique leaped back in surprise, scrambling to get away from the growing flames.

"No plasma powers in the house!" Monique shrieked.

_Shit! I've got to calm her down before she sets the whole building on fire!_

"Shego," Kim said evenly, unmoving from her close proximity next to the enraged villainess. "Your plasma."

Kim squeezed Shego's shoulder gently as she tried to get her to snap out of her fury. She started sweating from the intense heat but refused to flee.

"Shego," Kim said again when the villainess didn't respond.

"W-what?" Shego blinked out of her daze, staring blankly at Kim's clammy face.

"Your plasma," Kim repeated.

Shego looked down at the bright flames dancing around her fingers, and she immediately extinguished them when she noticed how close Kim was.

_Thank god, that was close._

"Oh, sorry," Shego muttered and softened her expression. She let her anger deflate under Kim's soothing touch, and she internally shook her head in disbelief at how easily the teen got her under control.

"How'd you get your powers back?!" Ron gasped, emerging from his hiding spot behind the couch.

Shego shrugged and frowned at her pale hands. "My powers are somewhat connected to my emotions. I got really pissed, so I guess my plasma ignited instinctively."

"Girlfriend, rules still apply while you're at my apartment," Monique chided with a hand on her hip. "I don't want all of my stuff to become barbecue."

"It's not my fault DNAmy's a bitch," Shego shrugged again. "Thinking about her makes me want to set everything on fire."

"Shego," Kim sighed exasperatedly, retracting her comforting hand.

"Ok ok, no powers. I got it, Pumpkin," Shego grumbled.

"I don't want to see you get hurt again," Kim said softly, prodding the subject of DNAmy tentatively.

"I won't."

"You can barely even turn your head right now without pain."

"Can to," Shego retorted, her tone confident despite Kim's accusation being true.

"Try me," Kim dared.

Shego continued to glare defiantly into Kim's knowing olive eyes, almost waiting to see who'd give in first. Ron and Monique could only watch with their mouths clamped shut, seemingly holding their breath.

As the seconds started to stretch, Shego suddenly sighed and turned her gaze toward the ground. She grumbled something inaudible as the petite redhead started to smile a bit.

"I promise we'll break Lucifer out as soon as our injuries are healed," Kim said gently, nudging Shego's bare stomach.

"Whatever, Princess," Shego snapped halfheartedly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Why do you care so much about Lucifer anyway, Shego?" Ron asked.

"I don't _care _about that dumb clump of catnip. I just don't want to see him suffering from DNAmy."

"But he tried to kill us at your apartment!" Ron protested, feeling more perplexed.

"That hairball saved your sorry ass, Stoppable. And we just left him there with a mad lady!" Shego retorted, feeling her irritation start to flare again.

_Better leave now before Shego explodes. Or the apartment. Or both._

"_Hey hey_, I think we should go home now that all of our homework's done," Kim suggested suddenly, not wanting any more arguments to ensue.

"Finally, I've had enough headaches for today," Shego agreed as she rubbed her temples.

"Need a ride, guys?" Monique offered.

"I can fly the hovercraft back," Shego grunted dismissively.

Kim collected her textbooks and gave Ron and Monique a quick goodbye hug.

"Don't forget your stuff!" Ron called cheerily, tossing the dark green duffel bag over to Shego. He grinned his signature goofy smile as she caught the bag and mumbled a half-assed 'thanks.'

Kim quickly ushered Shego out of the apartment in fear that she'd set something on fire spontaneously. As soon as the girls disappeared, Ron burst out into hysterical laughter.

"What's so funny?" Monique asked.

"Shego's gonna be in for a surprise when she opens her bag," Ron clutched his stomach as laughter bubbled out of his mouth.

"What did you _do?_" Monique narrowed her mocha eyes.

"Just a little something called-" Ron grinned, holding up a tube of colored dye. "Payback."

"You _pranked_ her?!"

"Yep!"

"She just went through torture a few days ago, and you decided to _prank _her?!" Monique repeated in complete disbelief.

"Well, she needs _something _to lighten her mood. I'm just speeding along her recovery from PTSD."

Monique shook her head incredulously at the childish behavior.

"And to think we were near death a few days ago," Monique muttered under her breath.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Shego lounged on Kim's bed tiredly, even though it was barely noon, trying to rub the weariness from her emerald eyes. Despite her nightmares about the tower incident receding, she was plagued with the choking blanket of insomnia instead.

She had tried crashing back in the guest room last night, but lo and behold, she couldn't get a wink of sleep as she tossed and turned relentlessly. The suffocating isolation brought back horrific memories of her time alone in DNAmy's cell. Wanting the presence of someone, she found herself trudging over to Kim's room in the middle of the night again.

Of course, Shego would never admit that she needed Kim to fall asleep.

"Pumpkin, I've never seen an 18-year-old with as many toys as you," Shego commented as she tossed aside a pile of Cuddle Buddies littered on the bed.

"They're not _toys,_ Shego," Kim rolled her eyes, putting away her finished homework. "They're mint-condition collectible items."

"The rest of the world calls those toys," Shego sneered.

"That reminds me," Kim snapped her fingers as she remembered something. "Didn't DNAmy leave a Cuddle Buddy on your bed back at your apartment?"

"Yep, I never had the chance to thank her for the _wonderful_ present," Shego sighed wistfully.

"What kind of Cuddle Buddy was it?" Kim asked, ignoring the blatant sarcasm in Shego's voice.

"Does it even matter?"

"Nope! I'm just curious," Kim smiled sheepishly.

"It was some weird hybrid of a panda and kangaroo," Shego answered.

"Wait," Kim blinked. "DNAmy left a _pandaroo?_"

"Only an insane person would come up with something that stupid-sounding," Shego snorted.

"That's one of the rarest Cuddle Buddies there is!"

"I'm honored she thought I deserved something that special," Shego said flatly.

"But you _burned_ it!" Kim feigned feeling woozy.

"And I did a spectacular job with that, didn't I?" Shego smirked.

"I feel faint," Kim raised the back of her hand to her forehead as she collapsed on the bed next to Shego. "A brand new pandaroo… _gone_ because of _you_!"

The pale villainess smiled a tiny bit at Kim's exaggerated show, and she reached over to her duffel bag to pull out her laptop. Living with Kim wasn't as terrible as she thought it'd be, but she still wanted to get her own place. When she unzipped the bag, however, her wide eyes were blinded with flashes of hot pink.

An overwhelming amount of pink.

Shego yanked out the few pieces of clothes she had taken with her, feeling her anger simmer as she realized every inch of fabric had been dyed magenta. Her usual black and green colors had now been, hopefully temporarily, smudged with colors of cotton candy.

"_Stoppable_," Shego snarled, her tone viscous. "You're so dead."

Kim watched Shego silently fume as she struggled to keep her rage under control. The teen hero quickly whipped out her Kimmunicator and dialed Monique.

"Hey, Monique?" Kim greeted nervously as Shego bit back an outraged scream. "Remember how I still owe you that shopping trip? Yeah, I think we should go now, Shego needs some new clothes before she burns down my house too."

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: So Shego is obviously suffering from PTSD. I don't want to make it too severe, but symptoms like irrational fears, insomnia, mood swings, and flashbacks still haunt her. And yes, I'm taking the next few chapters to develop the bond between Kim and Shego before we go back to kicking ass and snatching Lucifer :D

If you'd like to see them do anything specific together, leave a review and your request might be answered!


	31. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Another laid-back chapter to loosen up the main plot and develop the characters!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 30_

"Girlfriends, I'm so glad we're going on this shopping trip!" Monique exclaimed excitedly. The fashion diva pulled along several large bags that were stuffed with new clothes, but the effort she was exerting didn't hinder her chipper mood.

"It's been a while since I went out for fun," Kim admitted, smiling at her cheery friend.

"We wouldn't even have to be here if it wasn't for your little friend, Princess," Shego grumbled.

Since she flat out refused to wear her newly-colored pink clothes, Kim had let her borrow a loose, green t-shirt and jeans. They were a bit small on the villainess since the teen was shorter, the tight pants hugging her hips and the shirt riding above her waist. Her bandages were neatly concealed underneath the fabric, but the fresh scars around her neck stuck out like a blemish on her pale, green skin.

Kim shook her head slightly. "It was just a harmless prank, Shego. Monique said she'd be able to wash the dye out of your clothes within a few days."

"That still doesn't excuse the buffoon for messing with my stuff."

"You've done some pretty harsh things to him before, too, you know."

"I've never dug through his personal shit and dyed everything his least favorite color!" Shego retorted.

_I'll have to talk to Ron later about going through Shego's bag without permission. Not like she'd give it to him if he asked anyway. But it was still uncalled for._

"I'll talk to Ron later about that," Kim assured.

"You better. That bastard's gonna regret this."

"You're not going to anything to him though, right?" Kim asked with a slight edge to her voice.

"Sorry, Princess. But Stoppable's immediate future is uncertain at this point in time," Shego sneered nefariously as she dragged her one bag of new clothes, filled with nothing but green and black of course.

The three girls strolled through various stores in the mall, chatting lightly as if their lives weren't in peril a few days ago. Kim was used to going on dangerous missions, only to return to school and her more mundane side of life soon afterward. So it wasn't hard to adjust to doing "regular teen" things today.

Since it was the weekend, the mall was bustling with people scrambling to the nearest sale signs. A few select people would do a double-take in Shego's direction, either from recognizing the villainess or feeling unnerved by her pale, green skin. The majority, however, just ignored the girls and went about their business.

"Your closet's already so full, Monique. How're you gonna fit all of that new stuff in there?" Kim asked with a laugh.

She grabbed some of Monique's heavy bags since her hands were relatively empty, and the fashion diva sighed from the relief of weight.

"Oh, I'll find a nook or cranny somewhere to stash these beauties," Monique said dismissively with another giddy squeal.

"Hopefully those nooks and crannies aren't already stuffed with outfits and fabrics," Kim teased.

"Why'd you buy so many tops anyway? Aren't you struggling with rent?" Shego asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"They were so cute! _And _on sale!" Monique replied with a wide smile. If anything could make the fashion diva happier than her friends, it was, well, fashion. "Plus, Kim's helping me with rent this month, so I have the extra funds to splurge."

"I'll cover for this month," Shego said with a small shrug. "I know Kimmie's broke ass is saving up for college."

"Shego," Kim sighed, trying to contain her surprise at the villainess's unexpected generosity. "I got this. It's really no big."

"Pumpkin, I'm a multimillionaire," Shego boasted with a taunting grin. "I think I can spare the few cents you don't have for Monique's busted place."

"Was that an act of kindness or an insult?" Kim asked, a teasing twinkle in her olive eyes.

"You tell me," Shego snickered and poked the teen's shoulder.

"I'll go with an act of kindness," Kim smiled.

"I really appreciate it, thanks Shego," Monique nodded gratefully.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Just don't expect me to go prancing around with a hero cape and donating to charities anytime soon," Shego grunted with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"You in a cape?" Kim laughed. "And I thought I was insane."

"Oh Pumpkin, don't worry, you _are _insane," Shego assured with a sneer.

"Says the sidekick who worked for Drakken," Kim countered, knowing she had the upper hand.

Shego shot her a halfhearted glare and grumbled, "I thought we agreed not to talk about that."

"Guess I'm not the goodie-goodie you thought I am then."

"Girlfriends, if y'all are done flirting-" Monique drawled with a teasing wink.

Kim sputtered in outrage while Shego flashed a haughty grin, obviously enjoying the teen's discomfort at the claim.

_We're not flirting! Definitely not! So not the drama._

"- I think this is enough clothes to last me until next week. We ready to go?" Monique asked with a light laugh at Kim's embarrassment.

"Actually, I think flirty little Kimmie's forgetting something…" Shego leaned forward so that she was at Kim's eye level. Her breath felt hot on the redhead's cheek, and Kim squirmed from the close proximity of Shego's face.

_What is she going to-_

"…like a change of clothes," Shego finished with a disdainful smirk, standing upright again.

Kim let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding and looked down at her attire. She was wearing her usual loose-fitting cargo pants with a baggy hoodie draped over her white t-shirt.

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Kim asked.

"Where do I even begin?" Shego shook her head. "Uh- everything?"

"Like?"

"First off, all of your clothes are so loose!" Shego tugged on the collar of Kim's hoodie, making her stumble forward slightly.

"Sorry, girl, but Shego's right," Monique giggled. "You've been wearing the same clothes for all of high school!"

"See?" Shego's smirk grew as she looked Kim up and down. "Those pants are wasted on your legs."

"They're comfortable!" Kim protested, feeling her cheeks flush a bit under Shego's intense inspection.

"'Comfortable' is just a nicer way to say hideously drab."

"Dull colors and loose-fitting clothes are easier to wear on missions though!" Kim argued.

"We're not on a mission, Kimmie," Shego reminded as she gestured at the crowded stores surrounding them. "We're at a place where companies trick you into spending money you don't have on products to achieve unrealistic expectations morphed by society's standards."

_Deep truth right there._

"But I already wore tight clothes when I stayed at your apartment."

"Kim, it wouldn't hurt to change up your style a bit," Monique pointed out, loving the idea of Shego helping Kim with her taste in fashion.

"But-" Kim was cut off as soon as Shego grabbed her arm and roughly yanked her towards a store.

The abrupt movement made her drop the bags she was carrying, but Monique quickly scooped them up after giving an encouraging thumbs-up.

"Monique, help me!" Kim whined as the fashion diva wheezed with laughter.

"Sorry Kim, but these bags are heavy. I'll wait out here and let Shego take care of you," Monique snickered, swiftly winking.

_Take care of me? What is she implying with that? Never mind, it doesn't matter._

"Where are we going?" Kim demanded as Shego kept pulling her by the arm.

"Somewhere with a decent enough sense of fashion," Shego replied, letting go of Kim.

"Seriously? Why does it even bother you anyway?" Kim asked with an eye roll, still reluctantly trailing behind the pale thief.

"There's no way in hell I'm going to be seen working with someone in _those_ clothes," Shego said with mock disgust at the teen's cargo pants.

"It's not like I'm forcing you to wear them, Shego."

"You aren't," Shego agreed. "But _I'm_ forcing you to wear something that doesn't look like an over-sized trash bag."

"This is so not the drama," Kim muttered but grudgingly followed the villainess into a trendy store.

Shego tore through that store like she was on a mission. And she was. Kim watched her with a mixed look of mortification and confusion as Shego bought some new, obviously skin-tight, outfits.

"I can pay for things you know," Kim sighed as she rummaged through her new clothes.

"I know you can," Shego said evenly. "But unlike you, I've got millions of dollars to spare. This was barely anything."

"I can't believe breaking the law and becoming a thief makes you beyond rich," Kim sighed, smiling at Shego.

"Better start believing," Shego grinned back.

"I'm believing that villainy pays the bills while heroism doesn't."

"Now you're getting it! And how's hero life doing on your wallet then?"

"I don't save the world for the rewards, Shego."

"Goodie-goodie," Shego scoffed.

As the two girls were about to leave and meet back up with Monique, something suddenly caught Kim's eye.

"I'm gonna check something out real quick," Kim informed, stopping in her tracks. "I'll only be a minute."

Shego shrugged and continued her walk away from Kim, her strides long and strong despite her still-healing injuries. The way her wavy, raven hair swayed back and forth with each step was mesmerizing. Quickly averting her eyes when she realized she was staring, Kim turned back towards the hanging items that grabbed her attention.

She probed through a rack of stylish choke collars, remembering the large scar on Shego's neck. Finding a particular necklace she liked, Kim turned it over in her hands and checked the price.

_I can definitely afford this. Maybe Shego might like something to cover up that large scar on her neck when it heals._

"Trying to steal something, Kim?" A voice suddenly asked from behind the teen.

Kim whipped her head around and resisted the urge to bang her head against a clothing rack.

_Of course, of all the places Bonnie could be right now, it had to be where I'm at._

"Fancy seeing you here, Bonnie," Kim said with obvious irritation. "And of course not. Why would you even think I'd do something like that?"

Seeing the new arrival, Shego forgot about Monique and strolled back over to Kim. She watched the interaction silently from the teen hero's side, her disinterested expression blank and unreadable. She regarded Bonnie with a distasteful scrunch of her nose, already not liking how she was accusing Kim.

"Just thought you'd pick up a few habits from that criminal you've been hanging out a lot with," Bonnie shrugged and looked pointedly at Shego with a sneer.

Shego's lips curled back in a snarl and she clenched her fists tightly, trying to keep her plasma under control.

"Shego's not a criminal anymore," Kim informed, edging slightly in front of the boiling villainess. "Her record's been cleared, so lay off it."

Bonnie laughed out loud at that and Kim frowned in confusion.

"Once a criminal, always a criminal," Bonnie said distastefully. "I wouldn't be surprised if you became one too. Oh wait, that's right, you already are one."

"Are you seriously just here to mock me?" Kim sighed tiredly.

"Just stating the facts," Bonnie continued with a sweet smile. "Oh, and by the way, coach was thinking of removing you as captain as the cheer squad."

"What, why?" Kim asked, shocked.

"Well, you have been absent a lot lately," Bonnie pointed out with feigned innocence, tapping her chin thoughtfully. "Or maybe coach doesn't want someone who's hanging around with criminals to lead the squad."

Before Kim could defend herself, Shego swiftly stepped in front of her and calmly looked down at Bonnie.

"Listen up you little maggot," Shego thrust her steely face in front of Bonnie. "Leave Kimmie alone, or I'll make you."

"This is a free country where I can express freedom of speech. I have a right to do whatever I want," Bonnie retorted.

"You have three seconds to leave before I murder you and make it look like it was self-inflicted."

Shego's voice was bitterly cold yet calm despite her authoritative stance, and Kim readied herself to step in if the villainess got physical.

"I'm not scared of your empty threats," Bonnie declared defiantly, trying to hide the tiny quiver in her voice.

"Bad choice," Shego's emerald eyes danced with fire as she took a threatening step forward. "Your 3 seconds are up."

Tiny sparks of plasma swirled between Shego's fingertips, the heat making her shopping bags melt a bit. Bonnie glanced at the growing green flames and cowered a bit, still stubbornly standing her ground. Knowing the angry villainess was serious about the threat, Kim quickly swooped in and held her back.

"She's not worth it, Shego," Kim said softly, holding the older woman's arm.

Shego stared at the gentle touch and let her anger dissipate, not wanting it to become uncontrollable. She realized that after her experience with DNAmy it was harder to control her temper flares and plasma powers.

"You're right, you're right," Shego sighed, still keeping up her heated glare at Bonnie. "I'm not wasting my energy on someone with an IQ lower than 13."

"A green freak with anger management problems," Bonnie resumed her mocking pretense with a laugh. "You really do make the strangest friends, Kim."

"Shego's _not_ a freak, Bonnie," Kim growled, feeling her own temper start to simmer.

"It's fine Pumpkin, I'm the _best_ green freak," Shego stated cockily at Kim, completely unfazed by the insult.

_I bet she's heard that insult a lot growing up._

Shego whipped her head back around to stare at Bonnie, her hardened face a look of imminent death. "Go back to whatever pit you crawled up from. I'm done with you."

After some mumbled profanities that would've made any adult cringe, Bonnie stomped off out of the store and in the opposite direction. Seeing that the cheerleader had vanished into the crowd of shoppers, Kim shook her head in exasperation.

"What a bitch," Shego commented nonchalantly.

"Unfortunately. Bonnie always finds something to tease me about," Kim sighed.

"So do I," Shego reminded with a smirk, her anger cooling.

"Yeah, but it's alright with you because I like you," Kim said with a warm smile. When Shego quirked an eyebrow, the teen quickly stammered a correction after a second of realization. "Like a friend. A-as a friend I mean."

"Right, right," Shego nodded. She shuffled her feet awkwardly and pointed at the item in Kim's hand, hoping to change the conversation. "What's that you got there, Princess?"

"A gift," Kim grinned and rushed to the cash register to pay before Shego could respond.

After a minute of completing the transaction, she returned to the confused older woman and presented the item.

"I just thought you might want something to cover up your neck scar," Kim explained and let Shego inspect the choke collar. "You don't have to wear it anymore once it heals."

The thin, black leather necklace was a few centimeters thick and dotted with tiny, emerald stones around the edges. The words "Bad Girl" were formed with silver around the front, and a small chain to adjust the necklace's size hung from the back. Shego only stared and gingerly touched the wounds wrapped around her neck.

"Now that I think about it, I know a choke collar probably wasn't the smartest choice for a gift, considering what DNAmy put around your neck. Ok, yeah, I admit that was a dumb idea. An extremely stupid idea, oh my god. I could've gotten you a fashionable scarf or something else, but I just saw this and thought about you-" Kim rambled, suddenly feeling nervous from Shego's lack of a response.

_A choke collar? Seriously Kim? After DNAmy put a shock collar around Shego? Uh- hello, are you a dumbass or just completely insane? Honestly… I'd have to go with both._

"Kimmie, shut up, it's ok," Shego interrupted Kim's anxious rant with a light chuckle. "I really like it."

"Y-you do?" Kim blinked, her tone surprised but her eyes hopeful.

"Mhm, I'm the hottest bad girl there is. This necklace only confirms that," Shego smirked but then softened her expression momentarily. "Thank you."

"It's no big," Kim shrugged, smiling broadly.

Shego hesitated for a split second but returned the small smile. The small gesture really did touch her more than she'd like to admit. She brought the necklace up to her sore neck and attempted to clasp it on. Kim noticed her futile fumbling and reached a helping hand out to the older woman's neck, earning an instinctive flinch away from Shego.

_Of course, Shego would be sensitive to whoever touched her neck. Why do you keep messing up?_

"Oh, I'm sorry- I forgot that you- uh-" Kim stuttered, retracting her hand.

_I can't even imagine what DNAmy did to her neck. There were so many cuts and blisters and burns and puncture wounds, oh god._

Shego pushed away the terrifying memory of DNAmy and looked directly at Kim, repeating over and over in her head that the teen wouldn't hurt her. It's just Kim, not DNAmy.

"I'm ok, Kimmie," Shego said quietly.

With a deep exhale, she parted her long, midnight hair and fully exposed her burned neck to Kim. The older woman gave a reassuring nod and looked directly into Kim's hesitant olive eyes.

_Does she… trust me?_

The petite redhead seemed to get the hint and blinked out of her daze, horrified by the dozens of wounds still scraped all over Shego's neck. She tentatively reached her hands back out and gently tightened the necklace, making sure to avoid the deeper gashes.

"You look good in it," Kim stated after she was done.

"Pumpkin, I look good in everything," Shego winked teasingly, letting her mood lighten under the teen's sincere gaze.

"Well, I'm glad you like the gift," Kim chuckled lowly as she looked down with embarrassment. "Even if I didn't exactly think it all through."

"I know you had good intentions, like always. But speaking of gifts," Shego suddenly snapped her fingers and pulled a sparkly item out of her bag. "I got ya a little something."

"The clothes you got me are more than enough of a gift, Shego," Kim assured with a small laugh. "Even if I don't like how tight and revealing they are."

"You don't have to change your mission clothes. Just don't wear your ugly mission clothes _everywhere," _Shego groaned with exaggeration and tossed the present over to Kim. "But I _also_ thought about you when I saw this."

Kim rolled her olive eyes but looked down at the item in her hands. It was a small, silver tiara with the word "Princess" engraved into the front. Glimmering rhinestones dotted the edges of the word, and they shone beautifully against the metallic plastic.

"Seriously?" Kim snorted and looked at Shego with a raised eyebrow.

"It's fitting, don't ya think, _Princess_?" Shego laughed.

"I'm not wearing this around in public."

"But I spent a whole $2 on it for you," Shego pouted mockingly with a hurt expression.

Kim stifled a laugh at Shego's whiny face. "I'll wear it on special occasions, thanks."

"Today's a special occasion," Shego's emerald eyes sparkled with mischief.

"No, it's not-"

The villainess's grin widened as she suddenly snatched the tiara and plopped it onto Kim's head. Her wild, fiery hair created the perfect perch for the accessory, and Shego laughed at the sight. Seeing the wounded thief finally start to relax and have some fun, Kim didn't bother taking it off.

_If this is what it takes to get Shego to return back to her old self, then godammit, I'll wear this thing till I die of embarrassment._

Shego pointed to herself with an arrogant smirk. "Sexy bad girl." She jabbed a finger at Kim's forehead. "Prissy princess."

Kim pointed to her tiara and countered, "High-class royalty." She then pointed at Shego. "Leather-wearing crook."

The two girls got a good laugh out of that and went back outside to see an expectant Monique. The fashion diva stood with a hip cocked to the side and her arms folded. She regarded the hero and villain studiously, quirking a defined eyebrow at their comfortable behavior with each other.

"Girlfriends, I just saw Bonnie walk out of that store you were in, Shego's got a badass choker, and Kim's wearing a tiara," Monique listed incredulously with an amused shake of her head. "You've gotta spill all the deets stat!"

Kim and Shego looked at each other and laughed wholeheartedly, the tension between the two gone.

_I can't deny that Shego's fun to be around, even if she's so irksome. It's not too bad._

Shego grinned teasingly at Kim as she started recalling their encounter with Bonnie.

_Definitely not bad at all._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"How're your wounds feeling, Shego?" Ann asked gently, probing the younger woman's neck with light fingertips.

It'd been a few days since their encounter with DNAmy, and Kim was currently back in school. Kim, Ron, Monique, and Shego had all reluctantly agreed to take it easy for a few days, mainly to focus on devising a new plan and healing their wounds, physical and emotional.

Shego mostly lounged about the house, resting and waiting for Kim to return. Dr. Mrs. Possible would come home during her lunch break to check up and treat Shego daily, often trying, but failing, to make small talk with the wounded villainess.

"Spectacular," Shego grunted, feeling increasingly uncomfortable from all the unwanted attention to her healing injuries.

Ann eyed her skeptically and carefully unwrapped the larger gashes around her body. She was shocked to see that the deep cuts that were bleeding profusely a few days ago, had now shrunk to only a lightly faded scar. Dr. Mrs. Possible blinked in astonishment, staring at the phenomenon with her jaw slightly agape.

"I'm confused as to whether or not that was sarcasm because-" Ann blinked again to make sure she wasn't imagining things. "- they _do indeed_ look spectacular."

"You don't say," Shego said flatly, her face a look of total disinterest.

"They're almost completely healed!" Ann gasped, still in awe. "An average human body would've taken months for those injuries to fully recover!"

"I'm glad I'm not average then," Shego replied, her expression still deadpan.

Ann looked at her perplexedly, feeling too stunned to remember that Shego was far from normal.

"Crazy comet slapped me in the face? Gave me green skin and superpowers and shit?" Shego reminded with a tired sigh.

"Oh- yes. That's right, I forget," Ann chuckled weakly.

Shego huffed in response and crossed her arms over her chest, wishing Kim would come home soon. At least she could tolerate the teen hero, and even though Shego would never admit it, she actually enjoyed her company.

While she didn't mind Kim's family, their questions and invasion of personal space made her increasingly uncomfortable. Well, scratch that, she didn't mind Dr. Mrs. Possible. The Tweebs and Mr. Possible on the other hand…

It was clear that James didn't fully trust Shego yet, often randomly asking questions about her past as Drakken's sidekick. And as if that wasn't annoying enough, Kim's twin brothers would constantly nag the super-powered thief for plasma shows and tests. The thought of her powers being experimented with again mortified the villainess, so she was beyond relieved when Kim would always step in to shoo her curious brothers away.

"Anyways, I'm overjoyed to see your injuries are healing well," Ann smiled warmly, packing away the unused medical supplies. She didn't bother bringing any numbing injections this time since she understood Shego's irrational phobia of syringes after her experience as a lab rat. It felt sickening to the core.

"So am I," Shego grunted.

She took a bite of the turkey and cheese sandwich Ann had made her for lunch. While she didn't have much of an appetite talking with Kim's mother, the villainess understood she lost a lot of weight with DNAmy.

"You should be able to have full range of motion in your neck very soon at this rate," Ann informed, inspecting the tender area that was covered by Shego's choke collar.

"Whoopdy-doo," Shego cheered sarcastically.

Shego continued to look blankly at her half-eaten sandwich, letting her mind drift to distract her from this social interaction.

"Is something bothering you, Shego?" Ann asked gently, knowing the villainess was still recovering from her traumatic experience. "You know you can always talk to me if you need to."

"No, and no thanks."

"Not in a talkative mood today, huh?" Ann softened her face, noticing the younger woman's irked expression.

"When am I ever?" Shego countered.

"With Kim you are," Ann replied smugly with a small shrug.

Shego turned her head to look at the neurosurgeon, her emerald eyes sparkling with indignation.

"That's because there're endless things to tease her with. It's a long-held tradition to make fun of her," Shego retorted, feeling defensive all of a sudden.

Ann looked at her disbelievingly but didn't press the grumpy woman for any more answers.

"Where'd you get that necklace? It's gorgeous," Ann gushed as she changed the subject, hoping to lighten Shego's salty mood.

Shego subconsciously touched the accessory around her bruised neck. "Kimmie got it for me."

"How sweet of her, she's always thinking about others," Ann nodded approvingly.

"Way too much for her own good, in my opinion," Shego said.

"She's good-hearted by nature. But yes, unfortunately, that does cause her to be impulsive and naive to the real world at times," Ann agreed.

"Tell me about it," Shego snorted, leaning back on the comfortable couch cushions.

"It also shows how much she cares about people though. She always tries to see the good in everyone," Ann went on as Shego scoffed.

_Even your mom agrees with me that you're a goodie-goodie, Kim. _

"She cares a lot about you, you know," Ann finished gently, looking Shego straight in the eye.

"So I've been told."

"You've been told because it's true," Ann smiled.

"Glad to know honesty runs in this perfect little family too," Shego said dryly, inwardly pondering what Dr. Mrs. Possible just said.

A tiny flutter sparked in her chest, but Shego squashed down the tingling feeling almost too quickly. What even was that feeling?

"Well, since we're on the topic of Kim, I have some interesting news from today," Ann suddenly started.

Shego perked her ears with interest at that but still kept up a mask of unconcern and mild irritation.

"An English teacher of hers just got rushed to the hospital today in some freak accident involving peanut butter and jellyfish," Ann recalled with a small shake of her head at how ridiculous it sounded.

"I can't believe Kimmie's having more fun than me right now. I'd flip to see that," Shego sighed with a feigned pained expression.

"Well, apparently this teacher wasn't a favorite among his students because of a much-disliked song he liked to play on repeat," Ann said.

"I think Kimmie told me about this guy before," Shego remembered their conversation in her car when they were driving to meet Ron at Bueno Nacho. That was a little over a month ago, but it felt so long ago. "Did the students cause the accident?"

"There's no definite evidence or proof, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did."

"So what does all this have to do with me?" Shego asked, wanting to get straight to the point.

Ann reached into her back pocket and pulled out a folded sheet of paper. She smoothed out the wrinkles and handed it to Shego to read and examine.

"The school needs a substitute teacher to fill in for tomorrow. I suspect her English teacher won't be working there for a while, if at all," Ann explained.

"Hm."

"Kim told me you had a degree in child development. Perhaps you'd be interested in taking up the job," Ann said. "It'll only be for a day until the school hires a permanent replacement."

Shego scoffed as she skimmed over the paper lazily. "I'm not even qualified to teach a high school class. I don't have the proper credentials or experience required to be a full teacher."

"They're requesting a TA too, though," Ann pointed at the sheet. "To make sure the sub doesn't have any issues with the students."

"TA?"

"Teacher's assistant."

"My sidekick days are over," Shego said bluntly, handing the form back over to the neurosurgeon.

"They're offering quite a large amount of money to any applicants. I guess the students' antics with the jellyfish accident scared away all the other teachers," Ann gave a light laugh.

"I don't need the money," Shego waved her hand dismissively. "Plus, I don't know if you noticed, but I'm not really a people person."

"You get along just fine with Kim," Ann reminded.

"Kim's different than other people," Shego argued.

"How so?"

"She just… she just is," Shego sighed. Whether she _couldn't_ or _wouldn't_ share why was a mystery even for her.

_Well, for starters she risked her life to help me escape from DNAmy's lab when she had no incentive to. No one else would've ever done that for me._

Ann raised her eyebrow at that but decided to pocket that admission for later.

"It'll only be for one day. I know you've been bored and itching to do something here at home."

"It won't be too boring when we finally go kick DNAmy's ass."

Ann ignored the comment and suddenly thought of something, a twinkle lighting in her eyes.

"Kim's going to be in that class," Ann said nonchalantly.

Shego seemed to be rethinking her choices as she rested her head on the palm of her hand.

"It seems like you're the only person who can get her to focus on school, as well as forget about it," Ann chuckled.

"It's a prodigal talent of mine."

"I bet. And since Kim's been struggling with school the past couple of days, it might be nice to see a familiar face that's there to help her," Ann reasoned, not wanting Shego to be cooped up in insolation of the Possibles' house any longer.

"Hmm," Shego played with the leather strap of her necklace thoughtfully. "I'd have so much power over her. I could tell Kimmie and her friends to do anything I want."

"You'll only be working as a TA, not a full substitute teacher," Ann reminded.

"I could embarrass her in front of her peers or snoop around her locker. The possibilities are endless," Shego grinned nefariously, already liking the idea more and more.

"It'll only be for a day," Ann reminded again, starting to get slightly worried about the evil gleam in Shego's eyes.

"I'll be getting paid for this right?" Shego prompted, lifting her head and sitting upright.

"A high amount surprisingly, yes."

Shego grinned like the cat who ate the canary.

"Then I guess Kimmie's gonna be in for a surprise at school tomorrow."

* * *

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Author's notes: Ok I haven't watched the actual TV show for Kim Possible in a decade, so again, I'm sorry for any inconsistencies. Also, I completely understand that Bonnie is a little OOC in this fic, because she was more or less of Kim's frenemy in the canon show. In this story, however, she's going to need to be a little nastier than normal for later arcs, you'll see!


	32. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: My irl friend wanted a chapter to see the dynamic between Kim and Shego at something as mundane as school. I delivered as best as I could ;0;

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 31_

Kim wanted to bang her head on the desk. Again.

While she was glad her injuries had been steadily healing the past few days, going on missions sounded much more exciting than being cooped up in a musty classroom. Her mom, being a doctor, had restrained the teen from doing anything even remotely dangerous or that could reopen her stitches.

Her parents had also decided she wouldn't be going on any missions anytime soon, even though she hadn't been going on any in the past 4 months; it was a strange sort of grounding punishment. While other rebellious teens would be confined to their room, get their electronics taken away, or forced to do extra chores, Kim was restricted from saving the world.

As abnormal as it was, it sounded about right to Kim.

With a deep sigh, she glanced at the clock.

_5 minutes until class starts._

"You ok, KP?" Ron asked, sounding even more bored than Kim felt. He sat in the desk next to her, mindlessly twirling a pencil around his fingers.

"I'm fine, Ron. Thanks," Kim managed a halfhearted smile.

"I'm bored too," Ron sympathized, reading Kim's mind.

"So bored," Rufus agreed, hanging his bald head lazily out of Ron's backpack.

"Careful you don't get seen, buddy. Don't want to go to detention again," Ron warned. Rufus chittered vexedly but slipped back into the backpack pocket without a fight.

"After breaking Shego out, I guess I realized just how much I missed going on missions," Kim said with a small shrug.

The thrill she felt on missions was something she craved and wished to experience again, regardless of the consequences.

_I guess that's how Shego feels when she commits crimes or steals. I can understand the thrill and excitement and not caring about what happens afterward. Kind of._

Hey, she was Kim Possible. She ate danger for breakfast and villains for snacks.

"We'll get to kick some villain ass soon, don't worry!" Ron assured with a cheeky grin.

"I know. But it's not that I'm worried about," Kim chuckled.

Ron looked at her perplexedly, but she waved away his inevitable questions that she didn't even know the answers to.

_How would Shego react to seeing DNAmy again? How're we going to break Lucifer out? Can we even return a mutant scorpion tiger to the zoo he was stolen from? Everything's so messy right now._

"You'd think things would be more interesting around here after what happened yesterday," Kim remarked as she sank lower into her seat.

Though the school administration didn't have any solid evidence the students pre-meditated the plot, Kim and Ron knew the truth. Of course, they wouldn't snitch on their fellow peers, even if they weren't a part of the plan to get rid of their resented ex-English teacher. The class was very gossipy and fervent about the successful scheme, but Kim couldn't share their enthusiasm.

_I wonder what Shego's doing right now… She's probably watching TV or digging through all my stuff, not that I really have anything to hide. Well, from her anyway._

"I can still smell the peanut butter and jellyfish," Ron shuddered. He leaned over slightly to nudge his bored best friend in an attempt to lighten her mood. "At least we won't be seeing Mr. Fredrickson anytime soon though!"

"That is a major plus," Kim agreed with a light laugh. "I don't think I would've survived till graduation listening to that god-awful song every day."

"I'd rather listen to screeching monkeys," Ron said with a grimace.

Kim shared his expression. "Any idea on who the new sub will be?"

Ron stopped twirling his pencil and used the end to tap his chin thoughtfully. After a second, he shrugged with his usual goofy grin. "No idea. Hopefully, it's someone fun."

The classroom door opened and a hefty man walked through, interrupting what Kim was about to say. The tardy bell rang, but the class's excited conversations didn't waver as they kept chatting about the crazy events from yesterday.

"All right, all right. Settle down, kids," Mr. Barkin ordered, stomping over to the teacher's desk.

The class whipped their heads around to look at the principal, loud ubiquitous groans echoing throughout the room.

"I can't believe Mr. Barkin's our sub," Kim grumbled to Ron.

"Yeah, he's definitely not someone fun," Ron pouted like he was genuinely upset. "Doesn't he have principal-stuff to do?" he asked, sharing the class's distaste for the stern man.

Kim shrugged helplessly and turned her attention back to the front of the classroom. Their principal stood rigid as a board and addressed the students as if he was a drill sergeant to a military division.

"As you chicken nuggets might've figured, I will fill in for Mr. Fredrickson today. A new teacher for your English class will be present tomorrow, but for today, you will defer to me," Mr. Barkin informed, his face steely as usual.

That earned another round of irritated groans from the class. The cheery mood that radiated off of the cheeky students earlier had transformed into something sour.

"And to make sure you kids don't pull anything funny-" Mr. Barkin narrowed his eyes as he scanned the classroom like a battlefield. "- the school has hired a TA to help out today."

"What's a TA?" Ron whispered.

"Teacher's assistant, I think," Kim replied.

"Oh. Do you think they got a college student or something-"

"Mr. Stoppable and Ms. Possible!" Mr. Barkin hollered. The two teens in question snapped their heads up in surprise. "If you have something to say during my announcements, then why don't you say them in front of the whole class?"

"No no, we don't. Sorry, Mr. Barkin," Kim mumbled as Ron ducked his head to avoid the other student's stares.

"Hmph," Mr. Barkin huffed before continuing. "As I was _saying_, the school has hired someone to make sure you kids _behave_ today-"

"Where are they then?" A curious student asked as the classroom door opened.

Before Mr. Barkin could snap at the student for interrupting his speech, a lithe, pale woman sauntered into the classroom. Everyone stared wide-eyed at the newcomer. Kim's jaw dropped to the floor while Ron covered a hand over his mouth, muffling a snort that escaped his lips.

Rufus peaked his head back out from the backpack and gawked at the villainess. "Shego!" He squeaked as Ron ushered him back in to avoid being seen.

"What's Shego doing here?!" Ron asked in an urgent hushed tone.

One look at Shego and Ron pursed his lips tightly to stifle the laughter threatening to explode out of his mouth. Guess the day wasn't going to be so boring after all.

Kim didn't answer as she stared disbelievingly at the pale villainess.

Shego had on a long, gray-ish coat over her blue undershirt. The locks of wavy, raven hair that usually fell over her face were now pushed back by a blue headband. She still had on the stylish choker that Kim gifted to her, and the redhead felt a warm glow blossom in her chest at that.

Her face rested at its usual expression of mild irritation as she let her twinkling emerald eyes scan the classroom. It was almost like she was searching for something.

And she was.

When her gaze landed on a shocked Kim, her mouth curled up into a devilishly charming smirk. Kim would've returned the expression if it wasn't for where they were and how nervous it was making her feel.

_Oh no. God help me now, please. I know that look anywhere. She's got something planned, and I probably won't like it. What's she gonna do to me?_

Kim swallowed as she smiled tentatively back, hoping that her olive eyes didn't give away the growing apprehension she felt. Shego only continued to grin at the teen hero as if Kim was the only person in the room, completely ignoring the many stares targeted on her.

Mr. Barkin added to the dozens of eyes glued to Shego as he turned towards her. Adding more to Kim's shock, he actually smiled fondly at the pale thief. It was unnerving, to say the least since Mr. Barkin _never_ smiled.

"As you can see here, the lovely Miss Go will be assisting class today," Mr. Barkin said with an unusually content expression.

_Lovely?_

As Kim was about to cringe at her principal's abnormal behavior, the class erupted with shouts. A few arrogant jocks even had the nerve to whistle and catcall at Shego.

"Aren't you a villain?"

"You're that green lady who can throw fireballs, right?"

"Don't you have superpowers?"

"A criminal's going to be teaching us today? That's awesome!"

"Are you gonna set the school on fire?"

"Is it true you're living with Kim?"

"SHEGO'S AT OUR SCHOOL CAUSE' SHE'S GONNA DESTROY US ALL!" Ron shrieked.

Kim whipped her head around to glare at her best friend, who added to the clamor of voices by screeching that last comment. She looked at him incredulously and mouthed the word _'seriously?' _

Ron just shrugged and gave a cheeky grin, obviously finding the whole thing hilarious and wanting to add to it. That earned an eye roll from Kim as she realized her best friend was just looking to spice the day up.

The teen hero turned her attention back to Shego and noticed she wasn't bothered in the slightest by the harsh accusations being hurled at her. In fact, she was still grinning up a storm, or an evil scheme most likely, at Kim.

Ron missed the nefarious glint in her emerald eyes, obviously blinded by the irony that their former arch-nemesis was doing something as mundane as helping out at their school. Kim his her face in her hands, dreading what Shego was going to do.

_There's no way Shego came to the school just to help out. That's not how she is. She wouldn't openly volunteer to do something unless it was fun or benefited her somehow. She probably came to tease and embarrass me in from of everyone oh god-_

"That's enough, class. Settle down!" Mr. Barkin commanded over the dozens of raging voices. When the students didn't hear him or refused to listen, he clenched his burly fists and roared. "_QUIET DOWN OR IT'S DETENTION FOR ALL OF YOU!"_

The class smartly shut their mouths and listened intently, still casting hesitant glances in Shego's direction. During this whole ordeal, the pale villainess had not said a word, and she continued to stand with her hip cocked and arms folded.

Peeling her eyes away from Kim, she scanned the room with disinterest. "Yes, I'm a villain. No, I'm not a criminal anymore. Yes, I could roast all of your sorry asses with a flick of my fingers so don't piss me off. Yes, I'm staying at Kim's house temporarily," Shego listed vexedly. "I answered everything so shut the hell up now."

She wanted to satisfy the students' curiosity so they wouldn't hound her with more questions, especially personal ones. The class still looked at her with great curiosity, but they wisely stopped spitballing inquiries.

Mr. Barkin wrote a few things on the chalkboard. "Miss Go here will-"

"Just 'Shego's' fine kiddos," Shego interrupted with a shrug. "I'm not qualified to be a full teacher anyway so I could care less about dumb titles."

"Miss Go-" Mr. Barkin ignored Shego's request as he dropped a large stack of papers on the desk. "- will hand out your writing assignment for today while I take attendance."

Shego snatched up the papers and sauntered around the tables. Her swaying hips were basically a magnet for all of the guys' gawking wide eyes.

_Maybe she'll just walk right past me if I don't acknowledge her._

Kim shrunk back into her seat and looked at the ceiling when Shego approached her desk, praying that the older woman wouldn't pay her any mind. But of course, her prayers went unheard and unanswered. The former sidekick grinned at Kim's unease and briefly stopped at her desk.

_Don't make eye contact. Don't make eye contact. Don't make eye contact._

"Hello, _Ms. Possible_," Shego drawled low enough so that Mr. Barkin couldn't hear, but the classmates surrounding the teen could.

Kim groaned as she looked at the villainess, dreading the inevitable. "Can I help you, _Miss Go_?"

"Well, I don't necessarily need _help _with anything," Shego grinned mischievously.

"Jesus Christ. What do you want Shego?" Kim sighed in a hushed voice.

"A little birdie told me you have a rather large collection of Cuddle Buddies at home," Shego said with a sweet smile.

That got Kim's classmates' attention, and they turned to watch the two girls interact with interest.

_Thank god Bonnie's not in this class. She would've been all over this._

"Shego," Kim whispered in a warning tone through grit teeth.

_Keep cool. Keep cool. She teases me every day at home. Never in front of an audience but still. It's no big._

"Perhaps you can bring your toys in to show to your classmate buddies. Like for a little Show and Tell," Shego taunted with a daring smirk. Her emerald eyes sparkled with mirth as they beckoned for Kim to counter her banter like she usually did.

"_Shego_," Kim practically growled, feeling her cheeks flush slightly with embarrassment.

Ron and her peers snickered around her, obviously enjoying the free show Shego was providing for their rather boring day. Mr. Barkin continued to take attendance, oblivious to the scene unfolding before him.

"Or is Show and Tell and owning Cuddle Buddies only for children?" Shego tapped her chin with the stacks of paper, her expression mockingly thoughtful and innocent. "Sometimes I forget what grade you're in. Silly me."

_I can't believe this is happening right now. Whose idea was it to have Shego come to my school and torment me?! This is so embarrassing._

"Shego, I swear to god-" Kim gnashed her teeth.

"I'm sure your teachers wouldn't mind if you brought in that Cuddle Buddy you always sleep with though," Shego remarked as she ignored Kim's urgent protests.

Her classmates only laughed harder as Kim seethed silently at her desk. Ron joined in on the laughter, understanding Shego always teased the teen hero so it wasn't something to be taken seriously.

_I'm getting Ron back for that later. Hell, Shego won't even be alive by then to witness it._

"Don't you take that stuffed animal to school with you in your backpack every day anyway?" Shego went on.

"Shego!" Kim shrieked a little too loudly.

Shego cackled silently at her outburst as Kim puffed out her red cheeks in embarrassment. Steam was practically fuming out of her ears as she glared heatedly at the pale villainess.

She felt so exposed even though it wasn't even something to be that embarrassed about. Nonetheless, Kim was starting to wish the school day would just go back to being boring.

"Ms. Possible!" Mr. Barkin barked, causing all laughter to cease immediately. "Why are you shouting at our guest TA?"

"I-I wasn't! I uh-" Kim sputtered, clearly baffled.

"The day has barely started and you're already giving her problems. I expected better from you, Ms. Possible," Mr. Barkin said disapprovingly.

"Wait, but I didn't-"

"I will see you after school at 3:00 sharp," Mr. Barkin stated. "For detention."

_Me?! Detention?!_

Kim gawked at the principal as the rest of the class suddenly became very interested in their writing assignment. Before the teen hero could grudgingly comply, Shego swiftly stepped in.

"Detention won't be necessary, Mr. Barkin," Shego said smoothly. "I don't think Miss Priss would be able to handle it."

"But-" Mr. Barkin frowned.

"Kimmie didn't do anything wrong. She's just not all there in the head today. Like every other day, I suppose," Shego sneered as Kim squawked in outrage.

_Ok, being insulted by Shego to get out of the detention I don't deserve is so not the drama._

"Hmm… all right," Mr. Barkin conceded. "Consider this a warning then, Ms. Possible."

Kim nodded with a sheepish smile. "Understood, Sir."

_Shego thinks she won this round. Well, she thought wrong because I can do anything, including beating her at her own game. And there's no way she's leaving unscathed._

Before Shego could return to handing out the papers, Kim's voice stopped her.

"By the way, _Miss Go_," Kim said with a slight purr. Her voice was low so that Mr. Barkin couldn't hear what she was about to say. "Which song were you singing in the shower this morning?"

If looks could kill, Shego's glare would've exterminated the human race. It was if the villainess was saying '_If you keep going, I'll slaughter you, barbecue your corpse, and feed it to the pigeons_' solely with her expression.

Her emerald eyes glittered dangerously, and she tightened her grip around the stack of papers. That only encouraged Kim as she continued to look up at the Shego's enraged face with angelic olive eyes.

_Gotcha. You're not winning on this Shego._

Understanding Shego's blood was already boiling and she had nothing to lose, Kim went on. "You have a beautiful voice. It's such a shame though how you only sing for the showerhead and bars of soap," she remarked with a daring smirk of her own.

The class did their best to hold in their snickers, and Ron clamped both hands around his mouth to avoid bursting out laughing. He held out his hand which Kim high-fived.

"Kimmie, you're _so_ dead later. So very _very_ dead," Shego snarled lowly so that only Kim could hear.

Fully knowing that Shego was usually all bark and no bite with her, Kim only smiled impishly back.

Not wanting her plasma to set the school on fire, Shego had to forcefully restrain herself from letting her hands instinctively combust into green flames. The pale thief noticed how much she internally struggled with keeping her temper at bay. It was much harder than before her experience with DNAmy, and she acknowledged that. Her cheeks were stained a dark green as she felt the reciprocated feelings of embarrassment.

And she was not liking it. Not one bit.

Shego opened her mouth to fire back a stinging verbal retort like she usually did, but she begrudgingly held back when she remembered she was in a classroom. She reminded herself that explicit language, especially the vulgar words surfacing to her mind at the very moment, would be highly inappropriate at a school.

She was a classy thief and a villainess, not an unsophisticated hillbilly.

"That's enough! Get back to work everyone," Mr. Barkin ordered, oblivious to what the class was all laughing at.

The students reluctantly began working on their writing assignment after a few more giggles, and with one last deadly glance at Kim, Shego went back to practically chucking her papers at the students. The petite redhead only grinned triumphantly, feeling somewhat accomplished over turning the tables on the cocky villainess.

"Oh, and Miss Go-" Mr. Barkin called as he turned back to a fuming Shego with an almost shy smile. "- please call me Stevie."

Shego's face twisted into a sharp grimace, her expression clearly repulsed by the request made by a guy probably double her age. She glanced at Kim and was glad to see the teen hero shared her expression. The tension between them disappeared as they frowned at each other, sharing the same thoughts.

_Does Mr. Barkin LIKE Shego? He's as old as Drakken!_

Shego reluctantly trudged back over to a beaming Mr. Barkin, and she looked over her shoulder at Kim helplessly. The villainess mockingly gagged, but the teen hero only gave an encouraging thumbs up and cheeky smirk as a response.

Mr. Barkin tried to spark a conversation with the evidently uncomfortable thief, and Kim couldn't help but snort at Shego's growing unease.

_Well, I guess this day just got a whole lot less boring. I'm not sure how I feel about that._

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: This chapter had to be split up into 2 smaller ones, so the next chapter will be a continuation of this "off-plot" little drabble. Yes, I fully understand these "fun" chapters are kind of irrelevant to the main plot, but I really wanted to write them and build on Kim and Shego's relationship. I'm sorry, I have no idea how to write a story tbh! There're so many plotholes, and it's been a long week of finals and I'm kind of disoriented right now so I'll shut up before this turns into complete nonsense *gay sobbing*


	33. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Hope y'all had a wonderful holiday! Ahh this chapter is super long, and I actually had to scrap a few parts out because it was getting way too lengthy ;0;

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 32_

"Where'd Shego go?" Kim leaned over to whisper at Ron.

"Beats me," Ron shrugged before returning to his writing assignment.

Kim frowned, feeling more worried by the minute. She wasn't worried about the superpowered villainess, but rather the things the superpowered villainess might be doing. She had a good reason to feel that way though, considering all the sly remarks Shego had made about Kim during class. Surprisingly, the pale thief didn't even bat an eye at Ron as all of her attention was on her redhead victim.

_Ron dyed her clothes and now I'm receiving the punishment. So not the drama._

"I thought as a teacher's assistant she's supposed to, you know, _assist the teacher_," Kim said in a hushed tone.

"Since when does Shego listen to rules?" Ron asked in the same quiet tone. He said that with a hint of distaste, and Kim realized he still wasn't as comfortable with the former evil sidekick as she was getting.

_They'll warm up to each other. Hopefully._

Kim yielded to that and returned to blankly staring at her half-finished paper. She didn't continue working on her assignment though. It was getting harder to focus with her mind racing a mile a minute with a dozen different questions and possibilities.

Mr. Barkin sat stiff as a board in his seat, staring the working class down like a hawk. As soon as Shego stepped out of the classroom, his unsettling content expression dropped to that of his usual steely and serious mood. He was treating the teenage students as if they were prisoners, and they would try to escape the jail that is school the second he took his eyes off them.

_Good thing Ron and I sit in the back of the class._

Kim absentmindedly tapped her pencil on her desk. "She's been gone for a while."

"Maybe she's in the bathroom," Ron offered with his head down low to make it seem like he was working.

"I saw her heading in the opposite direction though."

"This is her first time here. She could've gotten lost," Ron pointed out.

"I guess," Kim capitulated again with a sigh. She left her best friend alone with his work, not wanting to get him stuck in detention for talking with her.

_Shego's far from incompetent. Knowing her, she probably already has the whole building mapped out for escape routes or secret stashes of food in the teachers' lounge._

Kim decided to scratch her growing suspicion and raised her hand. It wouldn't hurt to do a little detective work, she considered.

"Yes, Ms. Possible?" Mr. Barkin raised a thick eyebrow.

"May I use the bathroom please?" Kim asked with a sweet smile. Mr. Barkin glanced at the clock and regarded that class was ending soon. When he looked like he was about to deny her request, she quickly added. "It's an emergency."

"Class ends in a few minutes but fine," Mr. Barkin huffed.

Kim nodded and swiftly scampered out of the classroom, avoiding Ron's questioning look. She strut through the empty halls in the direction Shego had disappeared to.

_Damn it, Shego. What are you up to?_

It didn't take long to find the pale villainess. Kim skidded to a halt as she was greeted by the sight of Shego digging through a locker. More specifically, _her_ locker.

"What are you _doing_?" Kim hissed, stomping over to the older woman.

Shego didn't even seem the least bit startled by Kim's enraged entrance. She decided not to look up from her task as she continued to rummage through the textbooks and discarded papers littered in the teen's locker.

"Going through your shit to find something that'll fuck up your little miss perfect reputation, doy," Shego replied with her nose still buried in the confined space.

"How'd you even know which locker was mine?" Kim asked with an exasperated eye roll.

"I watched you and your goofy friends hang out over here this morning," Shego replied nonchalantly as if that wasn't weird at all.

_I'm not even going to ask how I didn't notice her. Shego's stealth is beyond this world._

Kim knew Shego never listened to anyone, so she didn't bother to tell the former sidekick to stop poking her nose through her things. Shego loved playing her games and talking her big talk, so the teen hero wasn't concerned about the older woman actually doing something to harm her. It wasn't like she had anything to hide anyway. Well, except for…

"Care to explain why my picture's hanging in your locker, Princess?" Shego asked as she finally deigned to look at Kim. She disappointedly hadn't found anything else that could be used to further torture the teen hero with embarrassment, but she decided that discovering her picture in there was as good as it was going to get.

Kim glanced at her photo of Shego and opened her mouth to fire back a retort, but no words came. She was left gawking while the villainess's mouth curled up into a taunting grin.

"I didn't know I was your high school crush," Shego smirked, her expression smug as if she just got away with committing a crime.

"My_ WHAT_?!" Kim shrieked before lowering her voice when she remembered how close they were to other classrooms.

"I'm not surprised you got a crush on me. I'm sexy as hell," Shego boasted as she flashed a charming smile.

"I-I don't! You aren't my-! That's not- uh- I d-didn't-" Kim sputtered, feeling more flustered by the second.

Shego took Kim's growing embarrassment as an invitation to continue her teasing. Hey, these opportunities didn't come up daily, so she would be taking full advantage.

"Aww, that's cute. Little Kimmie's getting embarrassed from talking with her crush."

"No, I'm not, Shego! You're not- argh!"

"You have excellent taste in women by the way," Shego sneered as she leaned forward slightly.

"I don't have any taste! I'm straight!" Kim protested as a light blush crept into her puffed out cheeks. She futilely tried to push down the rush of color and hoped it wasn't noticeable. But of course, Shego notices everything.

"Mhm, and so are spaghetti noodles until you get em' wet," Shego snickered with a suggestive wink.

"I am though!"

"Then why do you have my picture hanging in your locker, Pumpkin?" Shego taunted.

Kim blinked for a few seconds, feeling utterly dumbfounded. "I-I…"

"That's what I thought," Shego said triumphantly.

_Pull yourself together, genius! Shego's just trying to be annoying as always. You being embarrassed is only encouraging her behavior._

Regaining her senses and jumbled thoughts, Kim managed to assume a look of indifference.

"Considering I had to fight you and Drakken almost every week before, having a visual to look at helped keep me motivated," Kim said with a shrug. "Kicking your ass got tiring."

"Do you smell that?" Shego feigned confusion as she exaggeratedly sniffed the air.

"What?"

Shego smirked cockily. "Smells like bullshit."

"It's not-" Kim was interrupted by the bell.

The spacious hallway suddenly flooded with eager students, and Kim had to step closer to her locker to avoid being trampled. Shego wasted no time flashing an arrogant smile at the bewildered teen before slinking through the crowd and disappearing in a blink of an eye.

Kim sighed and seethed silently.

_I think I've had enough embarrassment for a lifetime._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Girlfriend, that's stalker-level kind of creepy, to be honest," Monique laughed after Kim had finished retelling her encounter with Shego in the hallway. The three friends were sitting and eating lunch together at their usual spot.

"What if Shego's been hired to spy on us and what we do in school so she can gather up information to form an evil plot that'll destroy us all?" Ron pondered with an unusually serious expression.

Kim and Monique just stared at him as if he just sprouted another arm.

"What's up with you and thinking Shego's trying to destroy us today?" Kim asked, her expression deadpan.

"She hasn't done anything to me after I pulled that prank on her," Ron explained in a low voice as if he was truly terrified. Kim couldn't tell if he was actually scared or not.

"Isn't that good though?" Monique inquired.

"Definitely not! It just means she's planning something especially evil to end me," Ron shuddered, suddenly regretting messing with the villainess's clothes.

"Seriously?" Kim asked exasperatedly. Although, she wouldn't put it past Ron if Shego did try to pull some revenge.

"It's a possibility," Ron shrugged as he shoveled some more food in his face.

"Dear lord," Monique shook her head. "Can we get back to the real issue here?"

"The issue that these tater tots are soggier than my socks after PE day?" Ron questioned as he inspected the pieces of fried food.

Despite his rather repulsive analogy, he still popped four in his mouth and chewed them rather loudly. Rufus sat in his lap, lazily eating the same soggy tater tots with a satisfied expression. The girls scrunched up their noses at the sight even though they've experienced Ron's messy eating habits hundreds of times. It wasn't something they got used to, or ever would they realized.

Monique grimaced and slapped the blonde boy playfully on the shoulder. "No you thick-headed potato. The issue that Shego snooped around Kim's stuff and discovered that she's her big secret crush."

"Mo, I don't have a _crush_! There's no _secret_! I'm not interested in _anyone_\- especially Shego!" Kim protested heatedly, starting to feel quite vexed from all the teasing today.

"Yeah, Kim's straight," Ron defended his best friend.

Monique only smiled and yielded, not wanting to press the subject further with Kim already so embarrassed and distraught.

"Whatever you say, Kim," Monique laughed as the redhead crossed her arms over her chest in a huff.

"I _do_ say. It doesn't help that there's the stupid rumor floating around school again," Kim grumbled.

For a while, the talk of Kim running off with Shego, a wanted criminal back then, died down. But now that the villainess had made an unexpected appearance at the school, gossip started spreading again like wildfire.

"Don't worry KP, it's not like the rumor's true or anything," Ron comforted as he pat his best friend's back. "People just like spreading juicy gossip because they have nothing better to talk about."

"Jersey boy got that last half right," Monique muttered with a small knowing smile.

"What was that Monique?" Kim asked, hearing the fashion diva say something incoherent under her breath.

"Nothing," Monique said quickly.

Kim sighed and continued to play with her food. Due to her high metabolism and all the intense activity she did, the teen hero could usually eat double, or even triple, what was recommended for someone her age without gaining extra weight. And while she had a massive appetite, it strangely disappeared today as she distractedly picked on her tray.

"So girlfriend," Monique shook Kim out of her thoughts. "Are you just going to let big bad Shego get away with everything she did today?"

Kim didn't even have to think about it. "_Hell no_. She's gonna pay for melting the lock on my locker too," she declared.

And with that Kim stood up and stomped out of the cafeteria, leaving her uneaten food behind. As soon as she disappeared, Ron stole one of her tater tots and popped it into his mouth.

"Didn't you say those things were 'soggier than your socks after PE day?'" Monique asked with an amused chuckle.

"Yup!"

"And you're not gonna stop eating them?"

"Nope!" Ron grinned.

Monique laughed. "Of course. Why do I even bother?"

Kim stormed down the hallway towards her English classroom. She figured her intended target would be in that room since she was assisting the sub, Mr. Barkin, in that class.

As she approached the classroom, she slowed when she heard the principal's low voice sound from the room. Kim peaked her head inside to see what was going on.

Mr. Barkin was leaning forward on the desk where Shego was sitting and filing her nails. The conversation looked one-sided. He was talking quietly with her, and his back faced the door so that Kim couldn't see the principal's face. However, the uneasy and almost repulsed expression on Shego's face was blatant.

"Miss Go, I just wanted to say how nice you look today," Mr. Barkin said in a pleasant tone that was so unlike him.

'_Nice' and 'Shego' are definitely not two words that are supposed to go together._

"Thanks," Shego grunted, trying to avoid the older man's heavy gaze. Anyone with half a brain could have picked up on her discomfort.

"Would you be interested in accompanying me to dinner this evening?" Mr. Barkin asked hopefully.

Shego looked absolutely horrified, and the mortification on her face was as clear as her pale green skin. She didn't know whether to scoff, vomit, or burn the guy's face straight off after shoving her nail filer done his throat.

The last option was looking very tempting at the moment.

She fought back the urge to gag as she looked helplessly at the clock, praying for time to move faster. If she wasn't getting paid, she would've ditched a long time ago. But sadly, she was. And so, here they were.

"No thank you," Shego replied curtly with obvious distaste.

"How about tomorrow night then?" Mr. Barkin pressed.

"No, I'm not interested," Shego said through grit teeth.

"Surely you're available this weekend?" Mr. Barkin insisted, completely missing the flat-out rejection Shego was practically throwing in his square face.

"_No_."

No matter how many times she declined, rather bluntly as well, her disinterest never seemed to get through to Mr. Barkin's thick meathead. Usually, she was indifferent to people taking interest in her romantically, since they were able to understand being rejected. But this was irritating on so many different levels.

Kim couldn't hold back a low snicker at the scene she was watching. It was hilarious and disturbing all at the same time. Thankfully, her principal was too lost in his own delusions to notice the almost inaudible noise, but Shego on the other hand…

The pale villainess immediately perked her ears and spotted Kim peaking around the corner. Shego hit her with wide, pitiful emerald eyes and a face that was close to a pout. It took Kim by surprise because of how unusual it was for Shego. She looked so desperate for anyone to save her from this terribly awkward situation, and the redhead couldn't help but smile impishly.

The two girls stared at each other while Mr. Barkin proceeded to run through a list of restaurants as if Shego had already agreed to a date with him in the first place. Drifting through his own fantasyland, he barely paid the younger woman before him any mind.

Kim and Shego ignored him as they had a silent conversation based solely on their facial expressions and body language. They had spent enough time with each other to read one another like a book.

Taken straight out of context, a passerby would've deemed the girls insane. Well, they both already had come to terms with the fact that they were, indeed, insane. But the mind-blowing factor was that they both understood each other perfectly even though no words were spoken.

Shego glanced at the burly man hovering over her and then back at Kim. She slowly mouthed the words 'help me,' and her pleading green eyes were screaming, _I'm suffering, get me away from him!_

Kim narrowed her olive eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. She kept her expression apathetic as if she was saying, _serves you right to suffer for making fun of me and going through my locker. Not to mention melting it!_

After a swift roll of her eyes, Shego pursed her lips and frowned deeply. Her expression read, _whatever, I'll fix your locker later, just help me now!_

Kim shook her head and grinned as if she just thought of an evil scheme. Her amused smile said, sorry _Shego. But it's payback time._

Shego gawked and widened her eyes, projecting a look of total desperation that roared, _Kimmie I'm sorry for everything today ok? NOW GET ME OUT OF HERE!_

The teen's smile only grew with a small shrug that implied, _should've thought about that before messing with me then._

Shego's pout hardened into steel, and her piercing emerald eyes narrowed into tiny slits. She tightened her grip on her nail filer to the point of it almost snapping. Her expression growled, _are you serious? I swear to god Kimmie, you better get this thick-skulled imbecile away from me or else I'll-_

Seeing the older woman's temper start to flare, Kim cast her another victorious smile with a wave that cheerfully called, _revenge is sweet, isn't it Shego? _

Shego's frantic eyes were clearly crying, _no, don't go! Don't you dare leave me with this old dolt! Wait!_

Kim shrugged again and gleefully skipped away to the cafeteria where her best friends were waiting. Though she was grinning with satisfaction, she did feel a twinge of guilt for leaving the seething villainess behind. Her culpability was short-lived, however, as she concluded that Shego got what she deserved.

Hey, after causing Kim so much discomfort earlier in the day, it was about time she got a taste of her own medicine.

Monique watched Kim strut back into the cafeteria, the redhead snickering all the way back to her seat. Ron smiled sheepishly at her as he internally hoped she didn't notice her now-empty tray of tater tots. Of course, she didn't notice or pretended not to notice anyways.

"Back so soon?" Monique asked in surprise, quirking a defined eyebrow.

"Yep," Kim beamed from ear to ear. "Karma got in the way and took care of my revenge for me."

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"I can't believe you left me with that oversized brick of a guy," Shego groaned. Relief and gratefulness swamped through her lithe body at the realization that she never had to see the stern principal again.

"I can't believe you broke into my locker and melted the door," Kim replied evenly. She had already hounded the older woman on not going through her stuff without permission, but she decidedly dropped the subject when she remembered that Shego went through her belongings all the time at home. It wasn't something to stress too much over.

"I'll fix your damned locker and buy you a new lock for it later, _jeez_," Shego sighed. "That's nothing compared to spending more than 5 minutes with that knucklehead you call a principal though."

"Karma's a bitch," Kim laughed with a shrug.

"Just like you," Shego retorted. Though her tone was irked, her emerald eyes sparkled with mirth. She was surprised and somewhat pleased, that Kim hadn't played the hero this time around. Now, she wished the teen had helped when she was being asked out by Mr. Barkin, but it was refreshing to see Kim's mischievous side.

"So we _do _have something in common," Kim gasped in mock awe.

Shego snorted and playfully shoved Kim's shoulder, causing her to stumble forward. The teen hero, not one to pass up any competition, responded by elbowing the villainess in the side. Almost immediately, Shego fired a weak palm strike to Kim's chest, sending her back into her melted locker door.

The blow had little to no force, so Kim barely reacted and only continued to smile. She flicked her opponent's shoulder, and the older woman smirked when the teen put her hands up in surrender.

She concluded that if they continued to push each other around like arguing children, they'd just end up sparring right then and there. And while both martial artists loved their sparring sessions with each other, such an intense fight wouldn't be appropriate in a school hallway. Plus, they were already drawing the attention of passing students, so she didn't want a crowd to form howling for a bloodbath.

The two girls were at Kim's locker, chatting lightly while the redhead put away her heavier textbooks. Cheerleading practice would be her last activity for the day.

"It's disturbing though- " Kim grimaced at the memory. "- that Mr. Barkin has a crush on you."

Shego put her head in her hands and rubbed her temples. "_Why _does the universe keep pairing me up with gross, middle-aged men twice my age?"

"It must be a gift," Kim teased.

"Or a curse."

"Depends on what angle you look at it," Kim said.

"Oh really? Cause from all angles it still looks like a curse that's creepy as hell," Shego curled her lip in distaste.

"Not to Mr. Barkin, though," Kim pointed out with a wink.

"_Don't_ even go there again. I do _not_ want to relive those memories," Shego shook out her arms as if she was trying to forcefully forget everything.

Kim laughed and inwardly decided that they both met their yearly quota of embarrassment and discomfort. She supposed that she should try and forget the lows of today like Shego was attempting to do. They were both even with each other, so there was no need to hold grudges, she concluded.

"Oh Pumpkin, by the way," Shego suddenly remembered something as Kim closed her locker, or whatever was left of it. "I'm driving you home from school today."

A few days ago, Shego had gone back to her old apartment to take back her car. She was relieved to see that it was in the same condition that she left it in, and she was also glad to have another form of transportation besides the hovercraft. Flying was nice and all, but for short distances, it was a major hassle to find inconspicuous parking spots.

"You don't have to. I like walking home with Ron," Kim stated.

"That wasn't a question. Your mom wants me to drive you home today," Shego repeated.

"Why? It's not even that far."

Shego sighed, "Yeah, but you're still grounded, according to your mom, so she doesn't want you running off on any missions after school."

"I've been walking straight home the past few days though," Kim pointed out.

"She probably figured that since I'm already here, I can make sure of that," Shego said. When Kim frowned and looked at her quizzically, Shego put up her hands in an 'I didn't do it' gesture. "Hey, her orders not mine. Don't shoot the messenger."

"Alright," Kim conceded. "You'll have to wait until I'm done with cheer practice though."

"That's fine with me."

"You should come and watch actually! We're working on this new routine I choreographed," Kim suggested with an excited smile. Shego had never seen her at a cheer practice before.

"You just want me to watch you do flips in a short skirt for an hour," Shego smirked slyly.

Kim scoffed and shook her head, mentally slapping herself since she should've expected an answer like that. After spending the past few weeks with Shego in close quarters, Kim discovered the best way to respond was to not respond at all. The older woman was always egging the teen on in hopes of getting a reaction.

"You don't have to watch if you don't want to," Kim rolled her eyes then added with a sideways look. "Besides, I'm sure Mr. Barkin wouldn't mind your company while I'm at practice."

"Nothat'sokayI'llcomewithyou," Shego replied rapidly in an almost panicked voice. "Let's go!"

She grabbed Kim's shoulders and steered her away from her locker, already urging the redhead to get a move on. Kim allowed the older woman to practically push her forward, finding her eagerness to get away from the bulky principal rather amusing

"Looks like someone is itching to see me do flips in a short skirt," Kim teased.

"Oh shut up, Princess," Shego muttered.

Kim laughed again and went to go change while Shego made herself comfortable on the gym bleachers. The redhead went into the gym to see Bonnie already there, marking steps and practicing tumbles by herself.

_She's dedicated, I'll give her that._

"Hey B," Kim greeted. If she learned anything from cheerleading, is that the dumb cliché quote you hear in teenage rom coms '_teamwork makes the dream work_,' is valid and useful, even if it means tolerating the brunette.

"Hey K," Bonnie said curtly after finishing a flip. She stuck the landing and looked at Kim almost proudly.

"Nice move."

Bonnie ignored the compliment and cocked her head in Shego's direction. "I didn't know we have your girlfriend as an audience today."

Kim shook her head and groaned. "Bonnie, she's _not _my girlfriend. We're barely even friends, and you _know _I'm straight_."_

"Oh? I actually don't know that. And if she's _really _just a friend, then why are you always with her?" Bonnie pressed.

"It's a messy sitch that we don't have time to delve into," Kim sighed. She wasn't feeling up to explaining everything that wasn't even Bonnie's business, especially since they needed to get to work on polishing their cheer routine.

Before Bonnie could respond, Kim quickly busied herself by gathering up the rest of the squad. Practice was rather difficult for the team that day, Kim especially. She wanted to blame it on the new choreography that they hadn't all completely memorized yet, but she knew her unbalance and off-rhythm were due to Shego's presence.

Though Shego was filing her nails with disinterest during the full hour, Kim could feel her piercing emerald gaze glance down at her every once in a while. It was distracting, and the redhead inwardly scolded herself for letting the older woman break her focus.

"A little distracted today, Kim?" Bonnie asked in a taunting tone as Kim tripped unexpectedly.

"Yeah, sorry. It's been a bit of an off day for me," Kim said sheepishly.

"Well as captain it's your fault if this routine flops. And right now, it's flopping," Bonnie stated as the rest of the squad muttered agreement.

"We just need a little more practice. We'll make it work, don't worry."

"You've barely been showing up to cheer practice with all of your 'hero work,'" Bonnie countered.

Kim sighed. Bonnie was right, as much as she hated to admit that. This past month she'd only been able to make it to 1/3 of their scheduled cheer practices.

"We're so lucky to have such a responsible and dedicated captain to lead us," Bonnie added sarcastically with an eye roll.

"No, no you're right. I haven't been there for the team as much as a captain should," Kim admitted.

Bonnie seemed surprised at that but quickly regained her composure. "Damn right I am, Kim. Maybe you should step down from your place as captain and give someone else the spot. Perhaps someone who actually _shows up_ to practices."

Kim ignored that and gathered the squad to keep practicing, but she did indeed ponder what Bonnie said. It didn't help that she was distracted with Shego watching them, and she couldn't help but feel self-conscious.

_Why is it so hard to balance everything in my life? Is Bonnie right? Am I so irresponsible of a captain that I've barely been able to make it to practice?_

She figured that there would be another time to worry about cheer and Bonnie. So why stress herself over that now? After practice, Kim ran over to Ron, who seemed to want to talk to her too.

"I can't walk home with you today," they both said in unison.

The best friends blinked at each other before bursting out laughing.

"You go first, KP," Ron suggested.

"My mom's making Shego drive me," Kim explained with a sigh. "I was going to offer for you to come with us, but I'm guessing you're not going home?"

"Yeah, I'm uh- going to Monique's apartment," Ron said with a nervous chuckle.

Kim smiled slyly. "Been hanging out with Monique a lot haven't you?"

"No! It's uhm- it's not like that! You'll always be my best friend and I'm not replacing you-" Ron stammered hurriedly as he waved his hands.

Kim grabbed onto his wrists to calm him down and offered a reassuring smile. "I never said anything like that, and I would never think you'd replace me. I was just teasing Ron, it's no big."

"Oh, I see. Sorry, haha," Ron rubbed the back of his head after Kim released his hands.

"I want you to know that I feel the same way too," Kim said softly.

"Huh?"

"About me and Shego I mean," Kim explained. "Just because I'm spending more time with her, it doesn't mean you'll ever stop being my best friend. No one can replace my partner."

Ron grinned his signature goofy smile and pulled Kim into a tight hug. He still didn't know how to feel about Kim hanging around Shego often, but it was comforting to know that the redhead vowed he'll always be her best friend.

Shego was just a friend, but Ron was her _best _friend. And nothing will ever change that.

Kim returned the embrace and pat his back lovingly as a sibling would. They shared a strong brother and sister connection, and they both knew deep down that they'd always be there for each other. Because that's what family does.

"Now what're you going to Monique's for?" Kim asked with a teasing smile as she pulled away.

"We're going to work on a Chemistry project and then catch up on all the wrestling matches we missed," Ron answered excitedly.

"Sounds fun!" Kim said, happy that Ron found someone to hang with after all the stress they'd been through in the past few weeks.

"It definitely sounds more fun than hanging around with a cranky Shego all day," Ron added under his breath.

"I can hear you Stoppable!" Shego called, glaring at the blonde boy.

Ron jumped at the sound of Shego's voice, and he hastily bid farewell before scurrying away from the irked villainess as quickly as possible.

"I didn't know that noodle boy could even run that fast," Shego commented as she went over to Kim.

"Maybe you should just come to gym class every day. Hell, you should just be our gym teacher. Ron could probably beat anyone on the track team with you scaring him," Kim replied with an amused chuckle.

"Getting to scare Stoppable _and _getting paid for it?" Shego asked with feigned astonishment. "Where the hell do I sign up?!"

That earned a laugh from Kim, and Shego couldn't help smiling in return.

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim sat up in her bed, wide awake despite it being past the time she usually went to sleep. A warm glow emitted from her lamp, and it gave the rather dark room a golden hue.

She stared blankly at her almost fully healed injuries and thought about the tiny mutant cat that inflicted them. She knew from Shego that the cat's name was Cheshire, and he was the creature that first knocked her out on the sidewalk the night of their heated argument at Monique's apartment. She also knew that DNAmy had ordered the catshark hybrid to attack the Shego daily, as to 'record her body's recovery speed.' It was sickening to hear, to say the least.

Shego, though still sensitive on talking about her experience in the lab, had sporadically revealed small tidbits of information she learned from DNAmy. It was usually a nonchalant comment or accidental slip of words that Kim learned more about the villainess's terrifying time as a lab rat.

It was scarring, and both girls understood that Shego would never be the same person as when she was still working for Drakken and Kim was 16. Though, each day Ron and Monique had witnessed Kim's and Shego's recovery together, both from equally traumatic wounds.

Kim's troubled thoughts were interrupted by two swift knocks at her door, followed by it creaking open slowly. She knew exactly who it was.

It wasn't unusual for Shego to seek sanctuary in her room, as she had been doing it almost every night. Kim understood that the older woman was still suffering from insomnia and occasional nightmarish flashbacks that could be triggered by the most mundane items.

Sure, Shego always blamed her not being able to fall asleep on the guest room, but Kim knew she just hated the isolation since it reminded the villainess of her time with DNAmy.

Shego stuck her head in the room and blinked when she saw that Kim was awake and staring right at her. It was unsettling for a moment, and she was briefly surprised since Kim was always asleep when she snuck in.

"Oh hey, Pumpkin," Shego said, feeling almost embarrassed. "I uh- didn't know you were still up."

"It's not really that late, so I was just doing some thinking," Kim replied vaguely.

Shego nodded and accepted the answer. She decided not to press the stressed redhead further, fully knowing that some thoughts didn't need sharing if she didn't want to.

"You're in here a little earlier than usual," Kim observed as she moved to one side of the bed and sat cross-legged. She beckoned the villainess over with a wave of her hand.

Shego had been trying to fall asleep on her own the past few days, hence her still reluctantly staying in the guest room. But, of course, the isolated and lonely room was too reminiscent of her cell, and she was plagued by nothing but bad memories. She'd then venture into Kim's room in the middle of the night, where the teen hero shared her bed with no problem, and the villainess would fall asleep in a flash.

The raven-haired woman closed the door behind her and crashed on the bed, swinging her legs over to rest lazily.

"I couldn't sleep and dealing with dumbass kids all day is exhausting," Shego explained with a tired sigh. "Your dumb guest room didn't help my mood."

_It's always the room's fault, isn't it Shego?_

"I figured. We usually put my nana in there when she visits. I don't think she likes the room either," Kim said thoughtfully.

"Must be one of the reasons why I hate it so much," Shego concurred. "It reeks of old people and essential oils. No wonder I can't sleep."

"You know you can just come to my room to sleep," Kim offered. "You don't need to go to the guest room first since you hate it so much."

"Is that an invitation?" Shego smirked teasingly.

"To not be waken up at 1 in the morning by you wanting me to scoot over?" Kim arched an eyebrow, amused. "Yeah, absolutely."

"Aww, am I disturbing your beauty sleep?" Shego mock pouted.

"I think you're just disturbing my 'sleep' sleep," Kim laughed softly.

"Poor Kimmie."

"Poor me indeed, Shego."

"Well then, I guess I'll accept your invitation," Shego said. She then added slyly, a suggestive twinkle in her emerald eyes. "So I don't disturb your wet dreams."

Kim squawked but before she could get defensive and fire back a stinging retort, Shego turned away so that the teen was left gawking at only her back. She grumbled something inaudible but turned out the lamplight and nightlight anyway, knowing Shego liked to sleep in total darkness.

The redhead laid down and snuggled into her pillow, facing away from the villainess next to her. Her back was lightly pressed against Shego's, but neither girl made any attempt to move away from the gentle body contact.

Kim was actually glad Shego was sleeping next to her since by just being in the presence of the older woman, she was alleviated from her haunting nightmares of the radio tower incident. Both girls felt and understood that by being close to each other, helped them find the tranquility to fall into a much-needed content rest.

Not that they would ever admit they needed the other to sleep though.

It was something they both inwardly acknowledged, but wouldn't dare say out loud as it could wound the other's pride. And well- there's as well.

Kim concluded that Shego needed the presence of another person, and she just happened to be the most convenient option. And Shego concluded that Kim needed her subconsciously when she had a nightmare, to remind herself that the villainess was, indeed, not dead.

Those conclusions were more than enough for them to excuse wanting to stay close to each other.

"Goodnight, Kimmie," Shego said suddenly, surprising Kim.

"Goodnight, Shego," Kim whispered back and closed her eyes, hoping for a dream-less darkness.

When sleep came quickly for the redhead, she found that her hopes had, unfortunately, went unanswered, and she was tossed into a nightmare. But it wasn't the typical horror show she was used to viewing.

It was much worse.

Kim dreamed of when she had first found Shego back at DNAmy's lab, unresponsive and strapped down to an examination table. She looked as pale and dead as she had at the time. An impenetrable sheet of glass separated the two, and Kim could only pound and scream in her futile attempts to get to the dying woman. Ron never came to save the villainess, and the teen hero could only watch helplessly as Shego withered away without even opening her eyes.

The distressed redhead tossed and turned violently enough to rouse Shego from her light, peaceful sleep.

"What the-" Shego growled, feeling more than irate as her emerald eyes fluttered open groggily. She was having such a nice sleep and now she was being attacked!

The irked woman's dilated pupils immediately snapped into focus as she swiftly dodged a punch from Kim. She turned to see the teen struggling and banging on nothing but air, occasionally letting out soft whines that sounded suspiciously like 'Shego.'

Shego stared for a few seconds, a bit unsure on what to do. Should she wake Kim up? Maybe hold her arms and legs down like restraints? Go back to sleep and pray she didn't suffer through a physical beating?

As time stretched and Kim's spastic movements because dangerously more desperate to the point where she was about to tumble off the bed, Shego instinctively grabbed the smaller woman without thinking. She pulled the redhead close and pressed her against her warm body, wrapping her arms around the teen to prevent her from moving.

Giving a gentle squeeze with strong arms, Shego breathed deeply to try and calm Kim down. Her cries turned into soft whimpers, and her movements were restrained by Shego's hold.

The steady rise and fall of the raven-haired woman's chest did help soothe Kim's distraught sleep, and she turned so that her cheek was resting against the comforting area. The teen hero groaned into the almost crushing embrace, unable to thrash around anymore now that Shego had her in a death grip.

"This is your fault," Shego blamed halfheartedly in a soft voice.

She gazed down at the now calm younger woman in her arms, relaxing her hold when she saw that Kim had stopped struggling. Kim adjusted her body slightly so that her head was resting under Shego's chin, like a puzzle piece fitting perfectly into the picture.

Shego couldn't help but wonder what the younger woman was dreaming about since Kim had admitted to her that the nightmares of that dreaded night disappeared whenever she slept next to Shego. It was just the warm presence of the older woman that sent a subconscious signal to her brain, a reminder that she was alive and well.

Deciding that that was a topic for another day, Shego allowed Kim to snuggle deeper into her warm body and bury her nose into her scarred neck. With the girl in her arms, she could already feel her body disregard the paralyzing insomnia she had been suffering from. Holding Kim made her feel safe, and the secure space was already getting to Shego as she felt drowsiness start to sink in.

The former evil sidekick was slightly appalled at the fact that she wasn't even mad at the teen for needing her like this. Because Kim needed her, and definitely not the other way around. She didn't need anyone.

Shego was never a sympathetic person, but somehow, she was still offering sympathy and comfort to a girl that was her sworn enemy not more than half a year ago.

But for some strange reason, she was ok with it. She was actually more than ok.

After all, she was only holding Kim because she didn't want to be kicked in her sleep. That was the only reason, she concluded firmly as she held onto Kim tighter and rested her cheek in the girl's soft, red mane.

_Right?_

It only took seconds before Shego fell into a comfortable sleep, deep breaths intertwining with each other. Neither strong, independent fighter moved from the embrace in their sleep, both seeming to relish the other's warmth and security.

As light filtered into the blanket of night, and ultimately the bedroom, a series of urgent knocks sounded at the door.

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Guys guys I need your opiniOn please! Do y'all prefer shorter chapters and more frequent updates or longer chapters like these but more spaced out updates?


	34. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Happy (late) new year everyone! The plot's gonna start rolling again so be prepared ;D

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 33_

"Kim, honey! Someone's at the door to see you," Mrs. Dr. Possible called from outside of the bedroom.

Kim groaned but lifted her head to answer groggily, "Okay, Mom! I'll be down in 5."

"Take your time, sweetie," Ann replied. Soft, fading thumps could be heard, and Kim guessed her mom had gone back downstairs.

"Princess, could you maybe _not _yell in my ear at like 7 in the fucking morning?" Shego grumbled tiredly, her glazed emerald eyes fluttering open.

"Oh, sorry I- wha-" Kim blinked open her olive eyes wearily, trying to focus on her surroundings.

She was greeted with pale, green skin and raven locks that shimmered in the morning light. It was a sight she was used to seeing when she woke up, but the fact that her nose was pressed upon the surfaces was what confused her.

_Huh?_

It took her brain a few seconds to realize she was curled up next to a lithe body. Shego was laying on her back and had both arms wrapped around Kim, gently holding the smaller woman against her side. The redhead had her face tucked neatly in the crook of the villainess's neck, and she had bundles of Shego's pajamas clutched in her hands.

Green eyes met green eyes as they stared at each other and then glanced at their position. It wasn't as startling as when Kim first found herself cuddled up next to Shego, which was back at the hotel room after the older woman's apartment got wrecked. But still, it was a bit awkward and embarrassing.

They both quietly untangled themselves without making eye contact. Kim shivered when Shego's heat left her small form, and a tiny part of her longed for the warmth to return.

The two girls looked at each other as they sat up, an unspoken understanding passing through them. Some things didn't need to be explained, because to Kim and Shego, it was the other that needed the comfort more.

Kim figured Shego needed to know she wasn't alone, and Shego concluded that Kim needed to remind herself that the villainess was alive.

"So uh- did you have a good sleep?" Kim coughed awkwardly as she gathered some clothes to start off the day. It was a school day, so she picked something loose and comfortable.

"Yeah, actually," Shego said as she did the same. She spent so much time in the teen's room the past couple of days that all of her clothes were being stored in it. "Did you?"

"Uh-huh," Kim evaded.

"You suck at lying," Shego remarked knowingly.

"Thanks for letting me know," Kim muttered sarcastically.

"Well, _someone's_ got to get it through to your stubborn head."

"How kind of you to take that responsibility, Shego."

Shego didn't respond as she sat on the edge of the bed, fumbling with her choker absentmindedly. Usually, she would've loved to keep tossing back and forth banter, but it was early and a million thoughts were racing in her head.

She kept thinking about how easy it was for her to fall asleep next to Kim, and she inwardly scolded herself that she let her insomnia get the better of her while she was alone.

Kim sighed and mumbled, trying her best not to sound dejected, "okay, so my sleep wasn't all that great."

"I figured," Shego murmured, remembering how violently the teen thrashed around in her sleep. "Did you have a bad dream?"

Kim cringed as flashes of her nightmare replayed, and she had to focus on Shego's back to calm down. "Yeah…"

"I thought you said your nightmares went away?" Shego asked.

"They did," Kim assured. "This was a different one."

Shego didn't press and just stayed silent, waiting to see if Kim would elaborate.

"You were dying," Kim explained softly.

"Again?" Shego inquired with an amused expression. "Feels like I'm always dying."

"You were strapped to the examination table in the lab this time, though," Kim went on in a quiet voice.

Shego's smile dropped a little. "Oh. Yeah, that wasn't fun. That bitch could've at least given me a pillow or something."

Kim knew the healing villainess was trying to downplay her experience, so it would appear that she wasn't affected by it anymore. There was no need to dwell on the past, especially when Shego was trying to move past it, she decided.

"Well anyways, I'm glad to see you're not dead," Kim half-laughed, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

"Sometimes I wish that I was," Shego rolled her eyes but grinned a tiny bit in return.

"Like when you were with Mr. Barkin?" Kim teased.

Shego snorted, repulsed by just the mention of the heavy principal. "I was actually thinking of listening to Dr. Drakken's rants, but yeah, that works too."

Kim laughed at that but jumped when another knock sounded at her door.

"Kimmie-cub? You almost done?" Mr. Dr. Possible's voice echoed from outside.

"I'm coming, Dad!" Kim answered as she hastily snatched her clothes and headed to the bathroom. She really needed to stop letting Shego distract her like that.

_Focus!_

She was back out in less than two minutes and caught Shego's eye. The villainess was also now fully-dressed in house clothes.

"Who the hell wants to see you at 7 in the morning?" Shego questioned, feeling irked.

"Guess I'll find out," Kim shrugged and left her room.

She ventured downstairs to see her parents pouring tea for the last two people she was expecting to see.

_Dr. Director and Will Du._

"Good morning, Kimberly," Dr. Director greeted warmly.

"Kim," Will Du said curtly as he looked at the redhead with obvious disdain. He sat with excellent posture, making sure his Global Justice badge was out and flashing for the world to see.

"Oh hey, Dr. Director," Kim returned the smile. "Hi, Will."

"Sorry for my sudden visit this early in the morning. Agent Du and I were around the area so I thought I'd stop by to see how you were doing," Dr. Director explained.

"There's no need to apologize, Dr. Director," Ann assured.

"Oh Ann, there's no need to be so formal, please call me Betty," Dr. Director interjected.

"Kim usually wakes up around that time anyway," Ann finished with a nod at the brunette.

Dr. Director nodded. "I understand you have to get to school so I'll make this visit brief."

"I don't understand why we even had to make this visit. There's so much work left to do at headquarters, not to mention the new recruits that need training," Will muttered under his breath.

"We just wanted to see how you were faring with Shego being uhm- missing," Dr. Director said gently.

Kim's parents glanced at each other before stabbing their daughter with a piercing glare. They were evidently unhappy that the teen hero did not inform Global Justice on the breakout with Shego.

"Oh…" Kim had the decency to look sheepish. "Shego's-"

"- doing fine and dandy, thank you very much," Shego replied curtly from the top of the stairs. She was leaning against the railing with her arms crossed, curling her lip with distaste at the sight of the two Global Justice agents.

"_Shego?!_" Dr. Director and Will exclaimed in unison as they sprang to their feet.

"Yeah, that's my name," Shego rolled her emerald eyes, blatantly showing her dislike for the guests.

Ann raised an eyebrow at the villainess's entrance, noting how she emerged from Kim's bedroom. She looked questioningly at Shego, who coughed as she avoided the neurosurgeon's suspicious gaze during her trek down the stairs. Now wasn't the time to be explaining why she was sleeping in Kim's room when Drs. Mr. and Mrs. Possible assigned the guest room to her.

"You're _alive_?!" Dr. Director asked incredulously, bewildered.

"Unfortunately," Shego deadpanned, standing at the entrance of the living room.

"Where have you been?" Will asked in a firm voice.

"Sleeping and minding my own damn business, doy."

"No, I meant while you were reportedly missing. Where were you?" Will demanded.

"To hell and back, living the high-class life as a lab rat," Shego spat.

"Since when- how- did you-" Dr. Director looked between Kim and Shego, her calm business pretense long gone.

Before Kim could respond, her parents glared daggers at her, their eyes laced with hints of disappointment.

"We assumed Kimberly Ann notified Global Justice on the liberation of Shego," Ann said, looking pointedly at her daughter. Though some might think she wasn't angry, due to her slow and even voice, Kim knew her mother was seething but keeping her cool due to the company they had.

"Kim, you should've told Dr. Dir- Betty immediately after you got Shego," James added. "Global Justice was doing everything in their power to help so they deserved to know."

Kim sighed. "I know, I know Mom and Dad. I'm sorry."

"We're not the ones you should be apologizing to," Ann cocked her head at Dr. Director.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Director," Kim apologized sincerely. She felt like she was a kid again being forced to apologize to an adult. It was slightly embarrassing to do so in front of Shego.

"We expected you to be more responsible than this, Kim," Will narrowed his dark eyes.

"Leave her the fuck alone, Will. It's not her fault you guys are almost unbearable to socially interact with," Shego defended the petite redhead.

Dr. Director looked at Shego in surprise, not from the flat out insult, but from her sticking up for Kim.

"While I'm on duty, you will refer to me as Agent Du, Shego," Will commanded firmly.

"Does it look like I give a shit about your dumbass duty and titles, _William_?" Shego replied with an eye roll.

"Look, I'm sorry," Kim sighed as she glanced at Shego, who was standing on the sidelines. "I was just so worried about Shego, it never really occurred to me to alert Global Justice. I'm not used to doing so after a regular mission."

The pale thief looked slightly stunned at that, but she managed to keep up her usual irked façade.

"I take it you've got some explaining to do for our guests, young lady," James's stern suggestion sounded like more of an order.

Dr. Director still hadn't said anything and was staring at Shego curiously.

Shego cut off Kim before she could launch into a lengthy explanation. "Miss Priss, her wacky partner, his bald rat, and their fashion-conscious friend broke me out of DNAmy's hellhole. That's all."

The one-eyed brunette couldn't hold in her astonishment. "Excuse me?!"

"You've been excused," Shego snickered and then pointed to the front door. "Feel free to take Will and excuse yourself out that door."

"I'm afraid I don't understand, Shego. What happened with DNAmy?"

"What part aren't you understanding, Betty? That's exactly what happened, end of story," Shego snapped.

"No, not end of story," Will butted in. "That was not a viable report on the situation Kim and her friends allegedly saved you from, Shego. We'll need to take you and Ms. Possible in for questioning to get both of your accounts."

"To hell with that," Shego retorted as she stomped past the living room and into the kitchen, ignoring everyone's stares. She hated Global Justice with a burning passion, so she felt that she needed to get away from the two agents before she killed someone.

The villainess rummaged through the fridge, looking for a beverage to down her Advil with. She already had a beastly headache from Dr. Director and Will Du, and she'd barely been in the same room as them for more than two minutes.

After chugging a glass of water, she put her elbows on the kitchen counter and rested her head in her hands. Not even a minute passed before her comforting silence was interrupted.

"Tired?" Dr. Director asked suddenly, stepping into the kitchen.

"Yeah, tired of your bullshit," Shego muttered dryly. "Did you seriously have to just waltz on in and ruin my rather pleasant morning?"

"Shego-" Dr. Director started gently.

"What do you want, Bets?" Shego practically snarled, lifting her head up to glare at the brunette.

The older woman was used to Shego's brash nature and harsh words, so she barely flinched at the villainess's tone and kept up her calm demeanor.

"Are you ok?" Dr. Director asked, not really knowing where to start with the raven-haired woman. She was glad that she was able to step away and have a few minutes to talk to Shego in private, but she didn't have a plan on how she was going to approach her.

"Of course, I'm doing _fabulous_, isn't it obvious?" Shego answered sarcastically. She roughly gestured to her scarred neck that was somewhat covered by the stylish black choker wrapped around it.

"Oh lord, your neck. What _happened_?"

"Why the fuck does it matter so much to you?" Shego barked, her head pounding from the rage she was trying to suppress for Kim's sake. She wasn't trying to blow up the redhead's house with her fury. Like, literally blow it up.

"Shel-"

"Watch the name," Shego quickly interrupted with a threatening growl.

Her emerald glittered dangerously, and the head of Global Justice knew the villainess wasn't playing around. She wisely didn't continue what she was going to say.

"Ok,_ Shego_," Dr. Director sighed. "It matters because I care."

"Bullshit."

"I _do _care about you, though. I'm so insanely relieved that you're alive and safe. You know that."

"No, I don't. I can never know with you," Shego snorted heatedly. "You didn't seem to care all that much when I was younger."

"I did and still do care, but the circumstances were different back then," Dr. Director argued.

"Oh _really_? How so?" Shego asked with mock interest.

"What you did before was wrong. I had no choice but to turn you in and stay on the right side of the law."

"Still got that idiotic idea that the world is split into two sides huh?" Shego sneered. "Everything's either right or wrong or good or bad with you. And I always fell into the wrong and bad category, haven't I?"

Dr. Director sighed, clenching her teeth with frustration. "Believe what you want, but it doesn't change the fact that I still care about you like my own daughter. I was worried sick while you were missing."

"Whatever. I don't need you or _anyone_ to give a damn about me, because I don't give a damn about anyone else. I'm not a fucking kid anymore, Betty," Shego retorted furiously. She was having some serious déjà vu since they both had a similar conversation not even three weeks ago.

"You give a damn about Kim," Dr. Director pointed out knowingly, not wavering in the slightest by the younger woman's attitude.

"No, I _don't_," Shego protested as tiny wisps of green flames instinctively flickered around her fingertips. She hoped that her anger outweighed the slight embarrassment she was trying to press down.

"I've known you your whole life, Shego. I can tell that you do," Dr. Director stated, confident in her claim.

"You've barely even seen me for more than five minutes with Kimmie."

"True. But even in that short time, I saw something that I didn't think I'd see in you again."

"And what the hell is that?" Shego asked, clearly more than irked right now.

"Human compassion," Dr. Director answered wryly.

The pale villainess blinked, and she seemed off-put by those two words for a very brief moment. The green plasma that danced around her hands extinguished, and little ribbons of steam billowed into the still air as she stood rigidly.

"Shut up," Shego snapped, lacking anything more valid to respond with. "Cause' I don't care, I never cared, so just fucking drop it."

"Well, you're getting pretty upset for someone who doesn't care about her."

"Whatever," Shego huffed. Caring about people only led to heartache and emotional turmoil, she concluded. Mushy gushy feelings were never her forte anyway.

"Maybe it's time you stop lying," Dr. Director suggested gently.

Shego laughed, actually amused at the ridiculous suggestion. "Ha! Me? Stop lying?"

"I'm serious."

"Have you lost whatever mind you still had? I've always been a liar, Betty," Shego growled, her low voice bitter but slightly hurt and pained. "I'm a liar, a thief, a crook, a criminal, a _villain_… I'm always the bad guy, and clearing my record didn't change that."

"You're not a bad guy, Shego," Dr. Director assured. "But I meant you should stop lying to _yourself_."

"I'm not," Shego countered halfheartedly, but her reply lacked its usual snark and anger. She did seem to step back a little and consider Dr. Director's suggestion though.

"You've always been so stubborn. Even when you were five you didn't want to admit you needed training wheels to ride a bike," Dr. Director chuckled softly, reminiscing on the past when things were simpler.

"Did you come here just to fucking torture me with my past?" Shego asked, feeling her anger start to simmer once more. She instinctively covered her neck with a hand, shielding the most sensitive part from view. "Cause' DNAmy already tortured me enough."

Betty's expression softened, and she resisted the urge to hug the younger woman like she had when Shego was just a kid.

Before Dr. Director could ask any questions or offer any sympathy, Shego abruptly stopped her. "Don't. I don't wanna talk about it."

"Shego-" Dr. Director started.

"Bets, just leave me the hell alone," Shego's voice was close to a groan as she dropped her head back into her hands.

Thinking about her past just allowed bad memories to resurface which always resulted in a pounding migraine. It was making her head spin, and she could barely think straight.

"Hey, Shego-"

"_What_?!" Shego snarled and whipped her head around vexedly.

Strands of long, raven hair were whips as they slashed the air with her sudden turn. She was greeted with a stunned Kim, who was standing at the kitchen entrance, flinching from the villainess's sudden outburst. Shego's anger almost immediately dissipated as she realized that it was actually Kim who spoke her name.

"Oh, hey Princess," Shego sighed, her voice low and slightly sheepish. "I didn't realize it was you."

"That's alright," Kim gave a light laugh and relaxed her tense shoulders. "I thought you were mad at me for a second."

"No no, you're not the one I'm mad at, Pumpkin," Shego assured, looking pointedly at Dr. Director with narrowed emerald eyes.

The head of Global Justice ignored the obvious implication and turned towards Kim. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing at the moment, sorry for interrupting," Kim apologized, looking between Shego and Dr. Director.

"No need to be sorry, Kim. This is your house after all," Dr. Director reminded. "If anything, I'm the one interrupting your morning."

"You aren't, ma'am. You're always welcome here," Kim said reassuringly. "I was just going to get a glass of water for Will. He went on this long rant about me being irresponsible and impulsive, so now his throat's dry."

"That son of a bastard's still going on about that shit?" Shego scowled as Kim shrugged. "When I'm through with him, there's gonna be a lot more than just his throat that's dry."

"I don't appreciate you making threats on my best field agent, Shego," Dr. Director chided.

"Does it look like I care?" Shego scoffed. "You're the boss of your little do-gooder operation, so tell Will to fucking leave Kimmie alone."

"You just bound an insult and an order into one sentence. And you expect me to listen to it?" Dr. Director asked with an arched eyebrow. She wasn't looking to start an argument with the pale thief, but she wanted to test the waters.

"You better. The kid's already been yelled at by her parents. She doesn't need Will to add to her stress," Shego declared, seething at Dr. Director's seemingly indifference. Tiny sparks of jade plasma ignited around her fingers, catching Kim's attention.

_I'll be in even more trouble with my parents if Shego burns the house down!_

"Shego, it's alright," Kim was by Shego's side in an instant, feeling apprehensive that the older woman might erupt in fury. Literally. "It's so not the drama."

Kim rested her hand comfortingly on Shego's arm, a gesture that the redhead found worked wonders in calming the villainess down. Shego visibly relaxed at the gentle touch, and she exhaled deeply to extinguish her flames again. Ever since DNAmy had messed with her emotions and powers, it was so much harder to control her temper, and ultimately, her plasma.

Then, Shego did what Dr. Director never expected from the hardheaded villainess, who was more stubborn than a mule. She yielded and backed down from the argument like she was throwing in the towel and willingly handing Dr. Director the victory.

"Yeah, you're right. It's not like Will's staying forever," Shego concluded, letting her anger deflate.

"Exactly. He said he and Dr. Director need to get back to headquarters in a few minutes anyway," Kim nodded.

"Oh, I meant on this planet, not just your house. It's good to know natural selection might take him out one day," Shego snickered nefariously.

"_Shego_," Kim scolded, her tone stern but olive eyes playful.

"I'm just saying." Shego shrugged with a lighthearted expression. "It's survival of the fittest, not survival of the people who actually read the '_Terms of Service_.'"

Dr. Director blinked in surprise at the small exchange between hero and villain, started by the simplest of gestures. Though her face remained even with a tiny amused smile, the astonishment in her dark eye was as clear as the black eye patch she was sporting.

Kim left to get the water she was intending to retrieve, but Dr. Director hastily stopped her before she returned to the living room.

"Er- Shego, could you bring Will his water please?" Dr. Director asked politely.

"Why can't Kimmie do it? She was gonna do that anyway," Shego pointed out.

"I'd like to speak with Kim for a moment in private."

Shego's calm and content expression dropped thirty degrees, and her face contorted into its usual deep frown. She was clearly unhappy to have to spend more time with the Global Justice Agent than necessary.

"_Fine_. I'd be happy to shove the water up his uptight ass," Shego said through grit teeth.

She shot the brunette a look that would've made plants wilt but grudgingly snatched the glass from Kim.

"Thank you," Dr. Director smiled.

"Natural selection's comin' for ya too, old lady," Shego sneered under her breath as she brushed past Dr. Director, who ignored the comment. She stomped into the living room while clutching the glass of water in a death grip.

"I've never seen Shego's mood change that quickly before," Dr. Director commented once the villainess was out of earshot.

"It's been harder to control her temper and mood swings after uhm- everything that happened with DNAmy," Kim finished quietly.

"Well, I'm glad you have that effect on her. I'll admit that in the years I've known her, I've _never_ seen anyone who could calm her down like that," Dr. Director remarked, still baffled.

"I'm a Possible. I can do anything," Kim beamed from saying her tagline.

Dr. Director laughed. "After what I just saw? I really don't doubt that there's anything you can't do."

"Actually," Kim chuckled. "I can't cook for my life. And according to Shego, I'm terrible at Calculus and picking out clothes. So I guess my '_I can do anything_' tagline is false advertisement."

That earned another laugh from Dr. Director, and she smiled a bit at the smaller redhead. "Shego cares a lot about you, you know. I may only have one eye, but I can see it clearly."

"She has an interesting way of showing it," Kim remarked with a smile of her own.

"She's an interesting person with interesting ways to show her interesting feelings."

"Well, the feeling's mutual," Kim admitted easily with a shrug. Hey, she really did care about the woman who she had almost killed not even five months ago.

"I figured since you risked your safety to rescue Shego. I'm assuming Will already grilled you with questions regarding your mission?" Dr. Director inquired.

"He did," Kim confirmed. "But my parents were going to make me tell you two what happened anyway, so it's no big."

"Mind filling me in?"

Kim nodded and proceeded to tell the older woman how Wade and her brothers managed to track Shego's heat signature. She revealed that DNAmy was the one who captured the villainess to run tests on her powers and that the geneticist was keeping Shego in an underground lab beneath a pet shop.

Though she didn't elaborate on the torture Shego suffered, Dr. Director already got a good idea from the visible burns and scars on the pale thief's neck. Kim finished with a brief retelling of her, Ron's, and Monique's successful plan of breaking Shego out.

Dr. Director was slightly bewildered when Kim had finished her story, and she took a few long seconds to absorb everything.

"Oh my…" Dr. Director looked aghast as she ran a hand through her short, chocolate hair. "And you say DNAmy was collecting information on Shego's powers for another villain?"

"To Shego's knowledge, yes," Kim answered.

"Any idea who?"

Kim shook her head sadly as the older woman sighed.

"You could've called Global Justice for help once you had learned of Shego's location. We would have been more than willing to assist," Dr. Director informed.

"I understand, but things worked out in the end, didn't they?" Kim only smiled. She didn't like having to rely on other people, especially professionals like Global Justice when she was more than capable of facing danger by herself or with her loyal partner Ron.

"Luckily, but this doesn't sound like your typical 'let's take over the world' evil scheme," Dr. Director stated. "I'll head back to headquarters and prepare a team to examine the site. Could you send me the address please?"

Kim nodded and shared the coordinates of DNAmy's hideout. They both went back out to the living room to see Shego practically pulling her hair out just from staying in Will's proximity. He was reciting laws and regulations that she was trying to tune out.

"Agent Du, I believe it's time we head back to HQ. Kim needs to get to school, and we need to prepare a team," Dr. Director proclaimed as Will eagerly stood up.

Shego raised an eyebrow at that, but she decided to question it later because the amount of relief in knowing the Global Justice agents were leaving was overwhelming.

"Understood, chief," Will saluted and said a terse farewell to everyone before walking to the front door.

"With luck, I hope a bird shits on your prissy uniform," Shego muttered evilly as the lean, young man passed her.

He scowled at her but didn't respond, keeping his head held high as he looked down at the villainess disdainfully.

"Thank you for the tea, Ann and James. You've been more than hospitable as always," Dr. Director nodded gratefully.

"Of course, Betty. Feel free to stop by anytime," Ann smiled.

Dr. Director's farewell was brief, but she didn't leave without casting Kim and Shego a small, warm smile. It's been so long since the pale villainess had made a friend, Dr. Director realized. The two younger girls glanced at each other in confusion before shrugging the matter off.

"Well, Will was certainly an interesting young man," Ann mused once the Global Justice agents were gone.

"If by 'interesting' you mean insanely annoying, then yeah, I totally agree," Shego replied dryly.

_Seems like everyone's annoying to Shego. Am I a pest to her too? Hmm, I guess not since she doesn't mind hanging around me and voluntarily does so often. _

"Dear lord. What're we going to do with you, Kim?" Ann asked lowly, mostly to herself. She had to remind herself that her daughter was still a teenager, meaning she was subject to caving into her impulsive emotions when they were strong enough. There was no need to stay mad at her for too long though. Kim was already stressed, and both parents understood that.

"Love and support me?" Kim answered with an impish, hopeful smile.

"That's a good idea, Kimmie-cub. I think you should start getting ready for school in the meantime, though. You don't want to be late," James reminded.

"Breakfast will be ready in 15," Ann informed.

Kim nodded and climbed up the stairs, Shego following close behind. Their trek was stopped short, however, by the Possible twins charging downstairs like a herd of rampaging elephants. They caught sight of Kim and Shego and stopped abruptly, blocking the girls' path.

"Morning Tweebs," Kim greeted, trying to move around them.

"Hey, Kim and Shego," Jim and Tim grinned in unison.

"Out of the way, boys. Kimmie's gonna be late for prison- uh- I mean school," Shego ordered tiredly.

"Say, Kim," Tim drawled, ignoring Shego's command. "Why was Shego in your room last night?"

"How the hell do you know where I am or am not? You got a tracking chip wired in me or something?" Shego's question was supposed to be sarcastic, but she couldn't help but wonder if the twins really did have a way of knowing her location at all times. After all, that's how Kim had found her back when she was trapped in DNAmy's lab.

"No no, we would never do that," Jim assured, waving his hands frantically to furthermore prove his point.

"We were awake when we saw you go in last night," Tim explained with a cheeky smirk.

"Boys, it's not like what you're thinking about," Kim informed with an exasperated sigh. She didn't bother telling them that Shego had been sneaking into her room every night. They would undoubtedly get the wrong idea and tease the girls about it.

"So sis, you gonna share all the details?" Jim asked, mimicking his brother's expression.

"Yeah, don't leave anything out. I bet it was freaky, hot, sweaty-" Tim started but was quickly cut off by Kim.

"TWEEBS!" Kim exclaimed, mortified by what they thought she did with Shego last night.

And what they were thinking about didn't involve sleep.

_Did they seriously think Shego and I- what the hell?!_

"Nothing happened last night other than sleeping," Kim flushed a tiny bit when she remembered how close she was pressed up against Shego. She was basically cuddling her like a giant plush toy.

"Really?" The twins asked in unison skeptically.

"_Yes_. Shego just feels more comfortable in my room, _that's it_," Kim stated firmly.

"You feel more comfortable sleeping next to Kim?" Jim asked the villainess in amusement.

"Fuck off," Shego snapped, not really knowing what else to respond with. She actually did feel more comfortable sleeping with Kim next to her. A very faint green had spread across her cheeks from the accusation, but she hoped her irritation concealed it.

"Hey, leave Shego alone," Kim defended, shooting her younger brother's a glare they knew they should be taken seriously. Kim knew the older woman was embarrassed to show any weakness, no matter how pointless, whatsoever to the redhead.

She was a proud and independent warrior, who hated to admit she had a hard time falling asleep by herself. It wasn't helping that the twins were mocking her about it.

"Whatever you say, sis," the boys shrugged.

"Now let us through and go get ready for school," Kim ordered. "Mom's making breakfast right now."

The twins complied and moved out of the way so the older girls could go back to Kim's room. As Shego passed by, though, Jim and Tim made some very suggestive expressions and gestures to which the villainess snarled at. Before she could lash out any threats, the boys snickered and scurried downstairs like the mischievous imps they were.

Shego's face contorted into a deeper frown as she sat on the edge of Kim's bed. The teen hero was brushing her wild, red hair since she hasn't had time to do so before Dr. Director and Will showed up.

"Don't mind the boys, they just like to stick their noses where they're not welcomed," Kim said with a small laugh.

"I'd be happy to burn their noses right off," Shego muttered.

"Do that and they'd probably find a way to mechanically engineer new, better noses."

"Hm, how can two people that smart be that dumb and annoying?" Shego sighed but then remembered something. "Speaking of dumb and annoying, was Betty bothering you?"

"Nah, Dr. Director just wanted to know what happened and the coordinates of DNAmy's hideout," Kim replied.

"And did you give it to her?" Shego asked, narrowing her alert emerald eyes suspiciously.

"Yeah," Kim shrugged as if it wasn't a big deal. And to her, it wasn't.

Shego on the other hand, obviously thought otherwise.

"Princess, why did you do that?!" Shego exclaimed incredulously even though she expected the answer. She jumped to her feet and looked at the redhead with a wild, panicked look in her sparkling eyes.

"Huh?" Kim was dumbfounded to what she did wrong. "Global Justice can help. They have more specially trained agents who know what they're doing."

"Yeah, specially trained agents who know what they're doing with _guns_."

Kim looked taken aback for a second, and she set down her hairbrush. The realization was starting to sink in, and she swallowed dryly.

"Lucifer is still with that lunatic bitch! What do you think Global Justice will do when they see a scared 800-pound mutant scorpion tiger going on a rampage?!" Shego asked, feeling her anger boil. She was mostly scared over mad though, but she hoped that her apprehension was masked by rage.

"Shoot it," Kim said quietly, feeling an emotion she wished she wouldn't have to feel for another lifetime. Guilt.

"No shit, Kimmie! You led them right to him! They're gonna fucking kill him!" Shego's voice was close to a shout as her hands suddenly engulfed with green plasma.

It was so strong, due to Shego's strong emotions, that Kim felt the heat and had to scramble back. Squinting her olive eyes against the light, she could see the jade fire had traveled up the pale thief's arms. She prayed nothing in her room caught fire, but luckily Shego had stepped away from her bed and wasn't standing too close to anything easily flammable.

"Shego, plasma!" Kim shrieked in a warning tone, staring at the older woman's enraged face and growing flames.

Shego's breathing slowed as she looked around, almost in confusion. She looked as if she didn't know she just burst into a ball of green energy.

She immediately spotted Kim's nervous, and almost scared face, backing away from her. Looking down at herself, the villainess extinguished her flames and felt a twinge of guilt.

Kim looked at her hesitantly, fully expecting Shego to launch a plasma ball at her in the rage she was in.

"It's ok, Kimmie," Shego sighed, her expression softening and turning downcast. "I-I didn't mean to combust, my powers just respond to my emotions more than I'd like them to."

"I thought you were going to barbecue me," Kim admitted, taking a tentative step closer to Shego.

"No, it was instinctive, and I lost control for a second there," Shego explained but then added in a low whisper. "I'd never hurt you."

Kim blinked, unable to fight the small smile creeping onto her face, and she stepped a bit closer so that she could feel the warmth radiating off of Shego's arms.

"I'd never hurt you either," Kim said softly, causing Shego's face to lighten slightly.

The fading heat still lingered in the air, and beads of sweat dotted the edges of the teen's forehead. A few papers on her desk were singed at the edges, but that was the least of her worries right now.

Kim pulled Shego into a small hug, hoping it would soothe the obviously distraught superpowered woman. It was evident the villainess was just stressed, and sometimes all someone needs when they're distressed, is a hug. Shego surprisingly returned the embrace and hoped it voiced the words she could not, mainly '_I'm sorry_.'

"I'm sorry for telling Dr. Director. I really didn't think about the fact that they had guns," Kim apologized sincerely as she pulled back.

"It's ok, I can understand how you forgot. I guess you couldn't have said no either, that would've been kinda weird," Shego nodded and accepted the apology. "But we have to go. _Now_."

"School?"

"Nope," Shego's grim face hardened into that of steely determination. "Back to DNAmy's lab to steal the giant litter box and kick the bitch's ass before Global Justice beats us to it."

* * *

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Author's notes: gAsp more backstory on Shego and Dr. Director's past? More will be revealed later on!


	35. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: The final chapters of the 1st arc! I've got some mixed feelings about knowing the first part of the main story is ending ahhHH ;-;

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 34_

Kim gawked as she stared at the raven-haired villainess standing across from her.

Shego had endured being kicked into an electrical tower and being shocked by over 200,000 volts, almost dying.

She was betrayed by her boss, ambushed by villains and dozens of henchmen in what used to be her workplace, almost dying.

She went through days of endless torture, treated like a test subject to the point where she was practically consumed alive by insanity, almost dying.

_Shego was right, it seems like she's always almost dying._

And now, Shego was determined to face her demons, the ones who trapped her in a cell, electrocuted her, starved her, and caused her pain beyond belief. Despite all that, she was far from broken and probably stronger than she ever was before.

Her once dull and glossy emerald eyes from a few days ago now sparkled like glowing orbs of preserving green fire, and her face was contorted with an adamant passion that Kim deeply admired.

It was galvanizing, and though Kim considered Shego her equal in many ways, she couldn't help but look up and respect the older fighter.

_Who knew Shego could be so inspiring without even trying?_

"You're freaking fearless," Kim blurted out suddenly, unable to stop the words from tumbling out. She hadn't meant to voice her thoughts, and she blushed instinctively at the little slip.

_Damn it, Kim!_

Shego grinned. She didn't expect the compliment, but hey, she sure as hell wasn't going to complain. "Hell yeah, I am! So are we gonna go kick ass or what?"

_Rescuing Lucifer before Global Justice gets there is the main objective. Taking down DNAmy is just a bonus prize. It'll be good to remember that._

"Only you and I would be this excited to literally jump right back into a hellhole," Kim laughed wholeheartedly, although they were about to face imminent peril and danger lurking in her mind.

"Well, you and I are insane," Shego pointed out, flashing a quick, cheeky grin.

"Yeah, we are. Let's do this," Kim stated with conviction, matching Shego's determined look.

The two girls scrambled around the bedroom, hastily changing out of their everyday clothes.

_I can't believe how many school days I'm missing. _

Through their frantic haste, they didn't even think twice as they openly changed not even five feet apart from each other. Shego slipped into her unmistakable neon green catsuit, while Kim donned her usual black shirt that exposed her midriff and baggy cargo pants.

Shego considered impelling the teen hero to wear some of her new, tighter clothes that the older woman bought for her on their trip to the mall, but she concluded they didn't have enough time to argue. There would be plenty more opportunities later to see Kim in something more form-fitting.

Kim then dug through her drawer to pull out her trusty hairdryer grappling hook. It had been months since it had been put to use, and a thin layer of dust had settled on the once-shiny orange metal.

"Do you seriously need to bring that thing?" Shego asked, noticing the redhead attach it to her belt.

"I bring it on all of my missions," Kim shrugged. "It comes in handy. You never know when you're gonna need it.

Shego, fully dressed in her skin-tight catsuit, looked skeptical but didn't protest. They quickly hurried down the stairs, hoping to sneak past Kim's parents in the kitchen and make it out the door without a fight.

_It feels like we're two grounded, rebellious kids sneaking out to do something dumb and undoubtedly dangerous- oh, wait._

"Where are you guys going?" The Possible twins suddenly asked.

The two girls froze in their tracks, just a few feet away from their exit, and bit back a groan.

"Tweebs," Kim grumbled under her breath.

Kim and Shego whipped their heads around to face the devilish entities that had full capability of foiling their crucial mission.

"Shego's driving me to school," Kim said through clenched teeth, and Shego nodded to back her up.

"In your mission clothes and her villain outfit?" Jim asked skeptically.

"I'm iconic," Shego boasted with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"We're just making bold fashion statements today," Kim added.

"So you're not going on a mission or-?" Jim pressed.

"Nope. Just going to school," Kim answered a bit too quickly.

"Without eating breakfast and Shego's morning coffee?" Tim matched his brother's evident disbelief. Shego, during her brief stay at the Possible household, had never left the house without a cup or two of the dark, caffeinated beverage.

"…yes?" Kim tried a convincing smile, which only came off as anxious to her brothers who'd known her all their lives.

"Should we get Mom and Dad's opinion on this?" Jim asked his brother who nodded eagerly in response. They smiled nefariously at each other, obviously liking the idea of ratting their older sister out. However a low growl stopped them, and they didn't even get to take one step towards the kitchen.

"Don't you two little devils dare whine for your parents," Shego hissed under her breath.

"Why not?" Tim inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"I thought you two were just going to school," Jim pointed out innocently as if he truly believed that's what the girls were planning to do.

"Jesus Christ. _Fine. _We're going on a mission, okay?" Kim sighed in defeat. She didn't see any point in carrying on the lie when her brothers clearly weren't buying it.

"But Mom and Dad-" Tim started.

"said you're grounded," Jim finished.

The boys grinned at each other as if this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to get their sister in serious trouble. And it was.

"Wait till they hear this," Jim said excitedly as Tim beamed with mischief.

"Move a muscle, and I'll stab you dipshits with a stick and roast you two like the puny marshmallows you are," Shego hissed before the boys could sprint into the kitchen.

"Kim wouldn't let you do that to us," the twins said in unison, high-fiving each other with smug looks.

"Since when did I ever need anyone's, especially Kimmie's, approval to do something evil?" Shego asked, lighting her pointer finger ablaze with green fury.

"Shego, we don't have time for arguing and empty threats," Kim groaned in a low, urgent voice.

"Who the hell said they were empty?" Shego chuckled darkly, though she did extinguish her flame.

"Tweebs," Kim readied her face to pout as a last resort. "This mission is important to Shego. I know I'm grounded, but we have to do this and we gotta go _now_."

"And why shouldn't we tell Mom and Dad?" Jim prompted.

"I'll give you all my dessert for a week," Kim bargained.

The boys looked unsatisfied at the offer.

"Two weeks."

"And?" The twins pressed.

Kim sighed, knowing what they wanted. "30 bucks."

They simultaneously arched an eyebrow.

"Each," Kim grumbled.

"That's it?" Jim and Tim asked disbelievingly.

"I gave you my money that last time and spent the rest on Ron's all-you-can-eat Naco day I promised him," Kim explained, getting more irritated by her younger brothers by the second.

"And you wonder why you're always broke," Shego murmured with a low sneer.

"Kim, Shego, boys!" Ann suddenly called from the kitchen. "Breakfast!"

Kim launched her puppy dog pout, and she unexpectedly caught her brothers before they could shield their eyes. Though it wasn't directed towards Shego, the villainess wisely looked away from the pitiful stare. She had learned the hard way.

The boys glanced at each other, silently concluding Kim's bribe was fair enough. They were undoubtedly influenced by the sudden wave of emotions from Kim's secret weapon though.

"We're coming, Mom!" Jim and Tim called back.

"Kim and Shego are coming down in a few minutes!" Jim added while Tim nodded at the two girls, signaling for them to make their escape.

The hero and villain didn't waste time as they fled out the front door, making sure to shut it quietly. As soon as the crisp Autumn air kissed their faces, they sprinted the short distance of the driveway to Shego's sports car.

Pale beams of the warm morning sun bounced off of its lime green hull, and Kim had to squint against the gleam. A wispy breeze pierced her exposed midriff, signaling the chills of winter arriving soon.

"The hovercraft's too far, we're taking my car," Shego informed, hopping into the driver's seat.

"No need to tell me twice," Kim was already sitting shotgun, completely in sync with Shego.

They were speeding along the road as soon as Kim had closed her door. Shego drove insanely over the speed limit, but she did still stop at stop signs and take extra caution in making sure there were no pedestrians before tearing down the road again.

Running someone over would for sure slow them down, she concluded.

"Take a left over there," Kim said, pointing at a street they were approaching. She was hastily typing something into her Kimminucator.

Shego glanced at the GPS, noting how it was instructing her to go a different way. "Now's not the time to try out sketchy shortcuts, Princess. Frankly, I don't trust your sense of direction."

"It's not a shortcut, Ron's house is that way," Kim replied as she finished sending her message.

"And why are we going to Ron's house?" Shego asked suspiciously, her mouth immediately turning into a frown at the sound of his name. "I don't know if you noticed, but we don't have the fucking time for a play date. We got a litter box to steal and an ass to kick!"

"He's coming with us," Kim said nonchalantly.

"_What?_" Shego's left eye twitched.

She tightened her grip around the steering wheel and slammed on the brakes. The abrupt stop sent Kim jerking forward, and she and gagged from the seatbelt choking her neck. She was incredibly grateful that there were no cars behind them. They were in a quiet, residential area, so except for Shego's bright car occupying the narrow streets, the road was practically empty.

Kim coughed and rubbed the long, red burn left on her neck, shooting the older woman an irritated glare. "Ron's coming whether you like it or not."

"Why do we have to bring that buffoon _everywhere_?" Shego demanded.

"He's not a buffoon, Shego. He is and _always_ will be my partner whether you like it or not. We always work together on missions, so I don't want him to feel left out if we just go without telling him," Kim argued exasperatedly.

"We can do this on our own!"

"I know we can, but Ron's my partner. It doesn't feel right to be doing something this important behind his back, especially when he's already played such an important part in this whole sitch."

"You talk like you're in love with him," Shego grumbled, evading Kim's insistent stare.

"I am," Kim admitted easily while Shego looked taken aback by that statement. Before the villainess could say anything in response, she went on. "No, I don't love him in _that_ way. I love him like my own brother, and he's helped me in more ways you can imagine."

"Like what?" Shego scoffed.

"Like breaking you out of your cell when I thought you were dead," Kim replied softly. She reached out to gently lay her fingertips on Shego's clenched knuckles around the steering wheel. "He knows you don't like him, but he still went out of his way to help you… for me."

Shego blinked and raised her head to look at Kim, her emerald eyes shining almost embarrassingly. She sighed and relaxed her death grip on the wheel, her ghostly white knuckles receding to their usual pale green.

"Godammit, Kimmie. Which way is his house?" Shego asked in a low tone, yielding.

_See, Shego? That wasn't too hard._

Kim retracted her hand and smiled slightly, directing the grumbling thief to Ron's house. Shego complied and didn't try to argue further, but Kim did hear her mutter some suspicious profanities under her breath the short drive there.

"If this boy doesn't get his ass outside in the next five seconds, I swear to god, I'll-" Shego growled, stopping her sports car in front of Ron's house.

Before she could finish her threat, however, Ron suddenly ran, well crashed, through his front door. His head was covered by the black turtleneck he was still frantically slipping on, and his pale abdomen was exposed to the morning sun. Rufus was halfway in his baggy, cargo pants pocket, desperately clinging to the fabric as Ron stumbled and struggled to pull down his shirt.

"Whoa!" Ron exclaimed as he tripped and faceplanted right into the backseat window of Shego's pristine, green car.

"Hey, watch the car! I don't want your disgusting saliva staining my windows!" Shego barked.

Ron shook his head vigorously before sliding into the backseat and letting Rufus hop out of his pocket. Shego didn't wait for him to get comfortable before speeding off again.

"Hey, Ron! Hey, Rufus!" Kim greeted, glancing over her shoulder to get a glimpse at the two.

"KP! Shego!" Rufus chattered, plopping on Ron's lap.

"KP! I'd hug you right now if I could but- you know- you're sitting all the way up there," Ron smiled and ran a hand through his messy, unbrushed hair.

"What? No hug for me?" Shego snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Shego," Ron's terse greeting was the total opposite of that for Kim.

"Stoppable," Shego matched his clipped tone, but she did surprisingly lighten her voice for Rufus. "Hey, Rufus!"

"Uh- sorry for the short notice, by the way," Kim wanted to move past the chilly greetings.

"That's alright, with Wade sending us on missions almost every day before, I'm used to switching outfits in under a minute," Ron laughed.

"_TMI_, I do _not_ want to hear _anything_ about you changing clothes," Shego stated firmly.

"Noted, Shego," Ron deadpanned before lightening his tone for Kim. "So what happened this morning that we're suddenly going back to DNAmy's hideout?"

Kim explained what happened with Dr. Director and Will's surprise visit this morning, a vague retelling of her brief chat with the older brunette, and the fact that the head of Global Justice was now currently organizing a team of agents to storm the lab. Shego mostly stayed silent throughout the short story, keeping her narrowed eyes focused on swerving around other cars like a maniac. She was driving with vigor and purpose, almost recklessly.

"We gotta get Monique. She'd want to know what's going on," Ron said after Kim had finished, already sending the fashion diva a message on his own Kimmunicator.

"No way. I'm not a taxi driver and this isn't some party you get to invite all your friends to, Stoppable," Shego retorted.

"But Monique was crucial to breaking _you_ out if you already forgot. She'd be so upset if we don't fill her in that we're doing this!" Ron fired back.

"We don't have time for letting more kids tag along! This is very fucking serious if you haven't already guessed, dumbass!"

"Shego, please," Kim started, her voice even. "Her apartment's on our way, so we can just drive by and pick her up. We won't lose time, it's no big."

"I just wanna blow shit up and snatch Fish Sticks," Shego muttered vexedly. "Since when did dragging along two kids who'll just get in the way come into the plan?"

"We don't have a plan," Kim pointed out.

"We never have a plan."

"Exactly. But last time, I'm sure you remember, Ron and Monique _did _have a plan and they did the exact opposite of getting in the way. Do I need to remind you of how they rescued you practically all by themselves?" Kim asked.

"I wouldn't say '_rescue_,' Shego grumbled, obviously embarrassed by the whole ordeal of needing help. "More like uh- walking into a hellhole that I just happened to occupy. I was pleasantly minding my own damn business before you guys showed up."

"Uh-huh. And how was your stay at this rather pleasant hellhole you speak of?" Kim inquired with disbelief shining in her worried olive eyes.

"The vivid 24/7 lighting was stunning, but the service and edibilities there were lacking, in my humble opinion. The bathrooms were also unsanitary, but I'd highly recommend trying out their water. It's organically un-purified and requires no filter. I'm not sure if this is common in other places, but there was also the whole 'using my body as a test subject' thing that kinda weirded me out, but I'm sure it was all completely safe. All in all, I'd give DNAmy's hospitality a solid negative two out of five stars," Shego's sardonic voice reeked of sarcasm.

It was so strong that Kim could almost feel the weight, and she laughed a tiny bit.

_Ok, so Shego's sense of humor is kinda funny. Just a little bit though._

"And what's your overall review?" Kim asked just to be cheeky.

"Ten outa ten, would go to hell again," Shego replied dryly, but she did flash a swift grin at Kim.

"SHEGO YOU BETTER GET YOUR PASTY GREEN ASS TO MY APARTMENT SO WE CAN ALL GO BACK TO THAT HELLHOLE TOGETHER," Monique's sudden demand screeched from Ron's Kimmunicator, forcing the boy to hold it away from his ear like it had a parasitic bug.

He originally had the device close to his face, as he was talking to Monique in a hushed tone while Kim and Shego were arguing.

The car swerved momentarily, but Shego quickly straightened it out after recovering from her shock. The two girls in front flinched from the intensity of the order, volume and emotional insistence and all.

"_What the hell_?! Monique-" Shego snarled, her eyes wide and irked beyond reason.

Before she could even think of a comeback or witty retort to argue, Monique added in a slightly lower, but still stern voice, "And don't you try and argue, Shego! Otherwise, I won't let you borrow anything from my closet anymore, and we both know how you like to impress Kim with your style-"

"_OKAY_!" Shego shrieked before Monique could finish her statement, momentarily stunning the two teens accompanying her in the car. "Fine, I'll come get you if you'll stop shouting in my car! God fucking damnit."

"My ears…" Ron whined.

"Ow," Rufus agreed, clamping his tiny paws over his pink, hairless ears.

"Whatever you say, girlfriend. Kim has my address, so I'd better see y'all at my place with the deets stat," Monique stated with her usual sass.

"We'll see you soon, Mo!" Kim turned her head to call into Ron's Kimmunicator.

Ron turned the speaker off and went back to talking to Monique privately. Well, as private as he could get with two other girls sitting not even five feet away from him. Oh, and Rufus was sitting right in his lap listening to the conversation. He informed her of the events and general situation Kim explained earlier.

Kim smiled to herself at that, genuinely excited to see her best friend so happy with someone, he couldn't even wait ten minutes to talk to her in person.

_Ron really is a special guy. He deserves someone just as special, if not more._

Her glee was short-lived, however, when previous fears started lurking in her mind. They reminded her of the horrors they were about to face, ones that Shego was single-handedly subject to and barely survived.

Her dream of seeing the older woman once again struggling helplessly against her restraints on the examination table didn't help ease her worries. In fact, they only fueled the nervous apprehension she typically didn't feel on regular missions.

It used to be thrilling fighting Shego on a weekly basis, and Kim finally realized how much she actually looked forward to their encounters. But now, going on a mission, a very personal and dangerous one on top of that, didn't spark the same energy that a call reporting Dr. Drakken's and Shego's latest scheme used to.

Shego wasn't the enemy anymore, she was an ally. And somehow, that made Kim nervous. Sure, she liked having the villainess on her side, but knowing Shego wasn't waiting for her at the end of the tunnel, made a small part of her fear what did.

She understood that the superpowered woman had never tried to kill or seriously harm her, though she was more than capable of, in their brawls. But DNAmy didn't have that kind of honorable dignity. She exhibited no restraint to spare Shego's life, so why would she start now?

Before she knew it, they were in front of Monique's apartment complex, and the fashion diva had flung herself into the backseat next to Ron.

"Monique!" Kim, Ron, and Rufus greeted in unison.

"Thanks for including me, guys," Monique grinned as she shut the door, buckled her seatbelt, and they were back to speeding along the road.

Shego snorted, glancing at the excited mocha-skinned teen in her rearview mirror. Her clothes looked like they were practically thrown on, as they were drab and loose-fitting compared to Monique's usual bold outfits. It was definitely a more casual alternative to the bright, flashy dress she rocked when they first visited DNAmy's hideout.

She wore a faded, cherry red t-shirt, black skinny jeans, and a light beige jacket was slipping off of one shoulder. Her thick, chocolate hair hung loosely over her shoulders, and a few clips were pinned to one side of her head as if she was planning on putting up her hair for school but then stopped halfway.

"You're thanking me for driving you to your possible death?" Shego asked dryly.

"Hey, if it means I get to skip class to do that, then yeah," Monique replied with a laugh.

"Ditto," Ron grinned.

"You kids are insane," Shego remarked flatly.

"Aren't we all?" Kim chuckled.

"Can't argue with that," Shego shrugged, yielding again.

"I'm so excited to go do something dumb and dangerous with y'all!" Monique said, her voice giddy.

"You kiddos are making it sound like we're all going to an annual sock hop or some shit," Shego commented.

"Breaking into a high-tech lab sounds better than being locked in a classroom listening to a lecture," Monique shrugged.

"Definitely. I wouldn't miss this for all the Nacos in the world!" Ron declared with his signature goofy smile. His beaming expression was comforting in a sense, and Kim really appreciated his optimism and just overall good nature.

"I wouldn't have let you guys _make_ me miss this," Monique mock glared at the girls in the front seat, though they couldn't see her expression. "There's no way-"

"There's no way we were going to let Kim go alone," Ron cut her off.

"KP!" Rufus squeaked in agreement.

"Aww, guys-" Kim smiled, inwardly touched by her two closest friends.

"Uh, hello? Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt your wussy ass moment or anything, but just wanted to remind you kids that I'm here too," Shego interrupted, slightly offended.

"Of course, Shego. How could we forget about you?" Monique asked with a teasing smirk.

"Don't worry, sometimes I forget about my existence too," Shego deadpanned, her eyes fixed on the road.

"Thank you guys so much," Kim said warmly, ignoring Shego's expected dry sarcasm. "I'm here and doing this for Shego, but it means a lot to know my best friends are gonna be by my side."

"Girlfriend, you had no choice whether or not we'd be with you. You've stuck with us through thick and thin, so it's really the least we can do. You know we got your back, too, Shego," Monique smiled.

"If it's important to Kim, it's important to me," Ron stated with a grin.

"How cute," Shego grunted but she did appreciate the support.

"Besides, we couldn't let you suffer without us! Otherwise only Shego would get to witness it, and we wouldn't be able to make inside jokes afterward," Monique teased, which Kim laughed at.

"That's very true, _Ms. Mon_," Kim agreed with a playful smirk.

"To be honest, I would've gotten pretty upset if you hadn't told me what was happening, KP," Ron admitted after they had finished chuckling.

"Same here," Monique nodded. "I would've flipped."

"Pumpkin, what happened to not wanting to get your friends involved because you don't want them to risk their safety?" Shego asked, genuinely curious because Kim before had been so hesitant to let anyone, especially her best friends, get tied up in their messy situation.

Ron and Monique glanced at each other, before looking back at Shego and laughing.

Monique calmed down enough to reply, "If Kim hadn't told us that you two were planning on infiltrating the bitch's lab to steal Lucifer-"

"Still don't have a solid plan," Kim murmured in a sing-song tone.

"- then she'd be the one who should've worried about her safety," Monique finished. "We're not helpless ducklings, Shego, and Kim knows we can take care of ourselves."

"Yeah, we can fight and stuff you know," Ron proclaimed defensively while Rufus hopped into the air and struck a battle pose.

Kim nodded. "I've been training with Ron, and he's gotten really good considering how little time we have to work out because of school. And you've been teaching Monique, so she at least knows how to defend herself too."

"Ron's also been helping me after school," Monique added as Ron grinned sheepishly, instinctively looking away when Shego looked at the pair knowingly in her rearview mirror. "With two teachers, I'd like to think I can kick ass pretty well."

"She can," Ron confirmed proudly. "See, Shego? We're trained!"

"And so is my pet goldfish I've been training for the upcoming summer Olympics," Shego retorted with a sardonic eye roll.

"Are you comparing me to a fish?" Ron frowned as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Nah, that would be an insult to goldfish," Shego sneered.

"The cracker or the actual animal?" Monique asked amusedly.

"Both."

There was just way too much laughter and jokes being tossed around for Shego's liking, considering where they were driving to. She didn't protest or anything though.

Because frankly, the lighthearted conversations, that might've been forced for all she knew, were helping to keep her creeping flashbacks at bay. And though no one said it out loud, there was this mutual understanding that the talking was better than sitting in silence and remembering the bad memories that all suppressed.

"Thank you for getting Ron and Monique. I didn't want them to feel like we didn't need them and were leaving them out after all they've been through with us," Kim explained softly while her best friends chatted in the backseat.

"No problem, Princess. Why not just invite the whole fucking school while you're at it?" Shego asked sarcastically, glancing at the redhead.

"You want Mr. Barkin to accompany us? Because that can certainly be arranged," Kim replied with a sideways smirk.

Shego pursed her lips, curling her mouth up in distaste. "Nevermind. I'd rather die on this little field trip and go to hell."

"Isn't this 'little field trip' already hell?" Kim inquired.

"Good point. I'll go to hell here first as a warm-up for the real deal," Shego nodded with a nefarious grin.

"I'll see you there," Kim concluded with a smile, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Shego returned it. "Thanks for letting me come with you, by the way."

"Stop thanking me you fucking nut, it's weird," Shego's voice was firm yet playful. "It's not like I even had a choice right?"

"Right. And sorry, I'm just a bit nervous," Kim admitted.

"Don't go soft on me now, Pumpkin," Shego mock scolded.

"Sitting next to a badass like you? Not possible."

"I thought anything was possible," Shego teased to which Kim gave in with another smile.

Talking to each other like it was just a regular day did help settle their nerves.

"You think Dr. Director's already there?" Kim asked.

"Pfft, probably not. Global Justice is slow, and they're definitely gonna spend a bunch of time thinking of a useless plan," Shego shrugged.

"_You've arrived at your destination_," the GPS stated suddenly.

Their nerves didn't stay calm for long as Shego pulled into the farthest end of the large parking lot in front of the location containing unimaginable evils. They made sure to park behind a tall oak tree, hoping the shade and hanging leaves would help camouflage them. Of course, it was hard to stay hidden anywhere when Shego's sports car was an eye-catching neon lime green.

They all looked at the quaint pet shop, draped with dying vines and surrounded by dry foliage. How could such an innocent store conceal such horrors underneath? Their smiles started slipping as the familiar realization of dread crept into their stomachs. Memories started flooding back in for everyone, especially and mostly Shego, and she touched her neck instinctively.

Due to her body's supernatural healing speed, the long scars and burns have almost faded to a rosy pink. Though they weren't as noticeable as before, she still wore the choker Kim gifted to her. It wasn't often she'd received gifts or experienced any kind gestures ever in her life.

Her pale features, lovely and sharp, crinkled as she frowned. Kim noticed her change in expression, as she matched it completely, but she wasn't sure whether or not to offer sympathy or words of comfort. Because through Shego's point of view, she wasn't sure if she even could be comforted.

"Glad to see Betty's taking her sweet little time," Shego commented, noting how Global Justice was nowhere in sight just as she suspected.

"We should've thought of a plan," Kim sighed. She had already called Wade and informed him of their mission so he'd be prepared if they needed help, which they most likely will.

"Eh, overthinking things gives me a headache. We'll be fine," Shego said dismissively, but she did share Kim's worry inside.

"So what're we going to do?" Ron asked no one in particular.

Shego drummed her fingers absentmindedly against her thigh, staring blankly at the place she was locked and tortured in not even two weeks ago. "I've got an idea."

"A plan?" Kim asked, her tone hopeful.

"Even better," Shego grinned before turning her head to look pointedly at Ron. "Live bait."

"Boo-" Ron blinked as he noticed Shego's intense stare and predatory grin. "-yah? …oh."

He gulped.

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Author's notes: Ok the car ride shouldn't have been this long realistically, but I really wanted for the team to have one of their final conversations and interactions together as a group before the arc ends :0


	36. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: And so the heist begins :0

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 35_

Ron swung open the doors like they were stage curtains, burst into the pet store, and pointed at a hairless, pink rodent that had hopped onto the ground in plain sight to everyone.

"_AAAHHHHH! RABID NAKED MOLE RAT!" _Ron shrieked in sheer horror. That caught the attention of everyone.

He put a hand over his mouth in a mock gasp and thought, theater classes really did pay off.

DNAmy's employees, some in lab coats and some in employee uniforms, were hauling boxes to the back, but they immediately dropped everything they were doing at the sight of the 'rabid' rodent. An elderly couple, who seemed to be legitimate customers shopping for pet supplies, also halted their browsing to gawk at Rufus who stood at the front of the store.

Rufus waved a tiny paw and took a step forward. About two seconds passed of complete silence before all hell broke loose in the quaint shop.

The employees screamed and started running around like headless chickens. They tossed away their clipboards carelessly, causing multiple containers of live animals to spill onto the floor. Lizards, snakes, mice, rabbits, and other smaller pets were now running loose, free from their containment.

The employees' panic only caused the animals to become more distressed, and they also started making a mess out of everything. It was like a feeding frenzy.

"Everyone get your asses up here and help! All the animals broke loose!" An employee shouted into a walker talkie.

Rows of pet supplies were falling over, bags of pet food tumbled and spilled onto the ground, and dozens of loose animals scrambled around like they'd never experienced freedom before. Shattering glass, crumbling shelves, and endless screams filled the air. And Rufus was having too much fun chasing the workers and lab assistants with bared teeth. They were all truly terrified that the hairless rodent had rabies.

Monique was also in the pet store, staying hidden off to the side and keeping Kim updated from her phone. It was Ron's job to make the mess and noise.

She noticed the elderly couple holding their frightened, yapping chihuahua in the midst of absolute chaos, dumbfounded and terrified to what was unfolding around them.

Monique quickly went over to them and guided them out of the store. She stayed with them until they were far away from danger. She assured them that the authorities have been contacted and everything was going to be taken care of.

Hey, it wasn't a complete lie. Global Justice was on their way, and she and Ron could take care of things.

It was so wild in the store that no one had even noticed Ron. They didn't even give him a second glance when he initially burst into the store. Granted, they probably already forgot his face and the fact he was directly involved in breaking Shego out two weeks earlier. But for once, he wasn't offended as it was giving him a huge advantage to staying unnoticed.

He stepped over a fallen cat scratching post that was crawling with hamsters and gerbils, and he snuck over to the hanging birdcages that were surprisingly still untouched. As if it wasn't already crazy enough in the store, he set the parakeets free for them to torment the employees. The birds immediately flew around the heads of everyone in the store, scratching stunned faces and pooping on everything.

Ron grinned mischievously as he watched all order spiral into insane destruction. He watched all of DNAmy's employees crash into each other as they desperately tried to catch, or run away, from the escaped animals. Somehow, a fire also started near the cash register, and more assistants rushed from the not-so-hidden backdoor to help get things under control.

Things were going smoothly and according to plan so far.

But, when has a plan ever gone this smoothly?

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

"Why'd you make Ron and Monique the distraction?" Kim demanded. "They can do a lot more than that."

"_Shh!_" Shego hissed. "Do you _want _us to get caught? God, you'd make a horrible thief."

"Good thing I don't plan on signing up anytime soon then," Kim remarked dryly, though she did lower her voice to a hushed whisper.

Shego snorted and slinked behind the bushes with Kim following closely behind. Her emerald eyes were narrowed and alert, the pupils darting back and forth like a busy bee. They hid there while Wade was staring at his computer screen, thoroughly checking all of the security cameras.

"So about Ron and Monique?" Kim prompted.

"It's safer up here. I figured they'd do a better job than if they came with us," Shego shrugged dismissively.

"They can fight you know," Kim sighed exasperatedly. "Sure, Monique's inexperienced, but Ron's defeated henchmen all the time."

"I get that, Kimmie. But they can easily ditch if something goes wrong, which I'm sure it will, knowing my luck."

"What?" Kim frowned.

_Why would Shego care if Ron and Monique could escape? If anything, I'd think she'd try and leave Ron here._

Shego rolled her eyes and spoke slowly as if Kim was a young child. "I don't want to see them get hurt if they go back down to that hellhole."

Kim was taken aback, and she would've reacted more dramatically if they weren't trying to stay hidden behind the bushes.

"I didn't think you cared," Kim said, still a little stunned.

"You do realize we'd have to carry their bodies up like three flights of stairs if something goes wrong."

"Nice coverup," Kim replied slyly.

"Whatever, Princess," Shego huffed, reverting back to her usual abrasive self. "I just don't want them to do something dumb and injure themselves. That'd just get in our way and waste time. You know how dangerous it is down there."

"Oh, but it's perfectly okay if I go down with you?" Kim asked with an amused, daring smile. She flicked the older woman's shoulder playfully.

"Well, did I even have a choice with that one?" Shego grinned a tiny bit.

"Nope. You'd have to murder me for me to let you go by yourself."

"I'll remember that for the next time I want to kill you," Shego nodded, her expression grateful.

A scream followed by a loud crash interrupted their hushed conversation, and Kim had to swallow back a snicker.

"Sounds like Ron and Rufus put up quite the distraction," Kim chuckled, her expression proud.

"So he _is _useful as live bait," Shego pretended to mock gasp.

Kim scoffed and elbowed the older woman playfully. "Do I need to remind you how they broke you out of your cell and-"

"Okayokay, I get it, jeez stop bringing it up," Shego cut her off with a sigh.

"Kim, Shego, security cameras are clear. I think everyone is on the ground level now to check out what Ron and Rufus started," Wade announced from the Kimmunicator.

"You're positive on that, Nerdlinger?" Shego asked.

"His name's Wade," Kim said through grit teeth.

"I'm double-checking right now," Wade skimmed his computer screen for a few seconds. "It's a bit grainy, but I still don't see any movement. So yeah, I'm like 99% sure you're good."

"99%?" Kim arched an eyebrow.

"Good enough odds for me," Shego shrugged before Wade could reassure them. "Let's go get my flea pelt before your friends demolish everything and everyone."

She barely finished her sentence as a loud avian-like squawk and another bang slashed the chaotic air. Once they caught sight of a few people dressed in lab coats and employee outfits desperately running out of the pet shop, the two girls sprinted past the quaint building. No one even noticed them.

"Behind those leaves, Kim. A few feet on your right," Wade said, studying his computer screen intently.

He had the intricate building layout, ventilation systems, and everything, present on the wide screen along with the full view of the live security footage. It was extremely complex and difficult to map out and keep track of, even for Kim and Shego, but if anyone could crack it, it was the computer genius.

With her Kimmunicator in hand, Wade directed Kim towards a hidden cellar door separate from the main building. It was partially concealed by dried shrubs and fallen leaves the color of a golden sunset, so to a local passerby, it looked just like an innocent bush.

"This crazy bitch seriously thought leaves and a hunk of metal was enough to keep us out?" Shego asked incredulously.

"Well, she's an insane geneticist, not an engineer," Kim pointed out.

Shego brushed away the foliage and sent a small plasma ball towards the metal door. The green flames easily melted its target like a knife through softened butter, and after the flares dissolved into the air, a staircase was revealed.

"Nice job," Kim nodded to which Shego returned the gesture.

"Those stairs should lead you directly to the main underground level. There's a lot of rooms down there, but I'm not sure which one has the creature you're looking for-"

"Creature's name is Lucifer, otherwise known as whiny giant litter box," Shego corrected.

"Don't interrupt him, he's in the zone," Kim chided to which Shego promptly rolled her eyes to. "Sorry, Wade. What were you saying?"

"No problem. I don't see the crea- _Lucifer_ in the security cameras, so either the room has no camera, or there's something blocking my connection to it. You guys are going to have to search yourselves," Wade informed.

"That's okay, we'll be fine on our own for now," Kim nodded.

"Just call me when you need to get out. I'll direct you to the nearest exit."

"Spankin'. Thanks, Wade."

"Good luck, guys," Wade gave an encouraging thumbs-up before hanging up.

"We don't need luck," Shego grumbled under her breath.

Kim stashed her Kimmunicator back in her cargo pants pocket, right next to her hairdryer grappling hook.

"After you," Shego grinned as she stepped to the side, gesturing with a sweep of her arm for Kim to proceed into the unknown.

"This is your mission-" Kim countered.

"Our mission," Shego corrected.

"- Okay, _our_ mission. You lead the way," Kim ordered, urging the cocky villainess down the stairway.

Shego rolled her eyes and looked down the dark hole that she was sure would most certainly lead to hell. She pursed her lips and hesitated.

With a mental slap at herself for having second thoughts, she grudgingly went into the passageway and inwardly said goodbye to the pale rays of sunlight. Kim followed suit and felt the warmth start to slowly slip from her petite body.

Shego lit up her left hand and held it in front of her steely face, letting the green glow wash their surroundings with light. The small spark of energy also warmed the chilly air, which Kim was grateful for since her midriff was exposed and frozen.

It was fairly dark and dank, and the cramped space reeked of mildew. The stone stairs were sleek with condensed dew and mold, and Kim slipped right into Shego's back in front of her. The older woman grunted, staggering forward for a brief second, as Kim found her footing and murmured an apology.

"So scared you needed a hug, eh Princess?" Shego taunted after she quickly regained her composure. Though, she did glance over her shoulder to see if the redhead was alright.

"Haha, very funny," Kim muttered.

"If you wanted one you could've just asked," Shego teased.

The redhead only scoffed in response.

_Okay, not gonna lie, but a hug right now does sound kinda nice._

As they walked deeper and deeper underground, the narrow passageway widened. The stone stairs that were glazed with neglect morphed into tile, and the damp air turned cool and crisp. A very familiar bright, artificial light flooded the hallway as they reached the bottom floor, and Shego extinguished her flames.

The girls stood rigidly as they looked at the brightly lit hallway that branched off into multiple directions. It was eerily quiet aside from the even hum of heavy machinery in the distance.

Shego suppressed a shiver, desperately trying with all of her power to push away the memories of this haunting place. They seemed to come in waves, gently lapping at her mind with an almost taunting quality.

"Let's just go get fish sticks and get the fuck out of here," Shego muttered. She shook her head violently to clear the pestering thoughts that just wouldn't go away. "This place is freaking me the hell out."

Kim nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly, and the girls jogged down the hallway. The teen hero glanced at Shego, concern shining in her olive eyes when she noticed the older woman's hesitant movements. She didn't move with her usual brash confidence or make any snide remarks, and that worried Kim.

Shego's expression was tense and her lips were pressed into a tight line.

"You okay?" Kim asked softly as they reached a crossroads.

Shego didn't look at her as she replied in a low voice, "No. I'm not okay."

Kim blinked in astonishment. She was fully expecting a witty or sarcastic retort, but the bluntness and honesty in Shego's voice were so surprising, she didn't even know how to respond for a second.

_I wish I could comfort her. But there's no time and what would I even say? 'I know this is the place you were literally locked and tortured in, but don't worry, because everything's gonna be okay in the end.'_

Kim wanted to say something, anything really to ease the distressed villainess and see the fiery personality that was burning not even five minutes ago. But time was ticking, Ron and Monique could only keep DNAmy's assistants and employees distracted for so long, and frankly, the two girls had no idea what they were doing.

"Where do you think DNAmy keeps Lucifer?" Kim asked instead. She figured changing the topic would help them stay on task. She peered down the three hallways and inwardly noted how they were pretty much identical.

_I really hope we get lucky so we can get out of here asap._

"No fucking clue. Let's just randomly check doors and hope we strike gold. Or in this case, mutant scorpion tiger thing," Shego shrugged. "Split up?"

"Hell no. We're staying together," Kim stated firmly as she brushed past Shego down the left hall.

"I'm not a kid, Kimmie. I don't need you to hold my hand like I'm gonna get lost or something," Shego rolled her eyes but she did follow the teen.

"I know that. But who's gonna hold _my_ hand if I get lost?" Kim asked with a teasing gleam in her eyes.

Shego smiled. A little.

Not that she would ever admit it, but Shego was relieved they were searching together. She wasn't sure if she'd stay sane and reasonable long enough to find Lucifer by herself, so having Kim by her side was mildly comforting. Her presence alone was also keeping the villainess's head fairly clear, so that was a major plus too.

Her very brief moment of optimism diminished once they continued checking doors with such haste they were practically kicking them down. Staying silent wasn't their priority here since Wade had already confirmed he hadn't seen anyone through the security cameras. They had all hounded to the ground level to diffuse the commotion Ron, Monique, and Rufus had caused.

Kim rounded a corner and swung open a set of double doors. It appeared to lead to a huge room. Sure that this was the room Lucifer was being contained in, she was disappointed when there were no traces of the giant creature in the rather large room she revealed.

Her curiosity got the better of her though as she stared at the large, complex machinery laid out on the edges of the room. Multiple examination tables sat near the center, and as Kim stepped in to get a closer look, she noticed all of the notes and Petri dishes littering the countertops. It looked like a high school chemistry project gone wrong.

_And they call my room messy._

"Shego! Come look at all this," Kim called. She picked up a piece of paper and read the neatly written notes on it.

"That doesn't look like the giant furball we're looking for, Princess," Shego commented dryly as she entered the room with an exasperated sigh. She gestured at the paper the teen was holding.

"I know, I know. But check this out," Kim started reading. _'Plasma neutrality achieved from substituting venom in viper fangs. Can also double as a sedative and may induce hallucinations if injected too often, similar to the effect an overwhelming amount of electrical shocks has on the brain-"_

"_\- The stabilizer has been upgraded to remain in the test subject's system for only up to 6 hours, as to avoid brain tissue deterioration. After analyzing collected data from further tests, the stabilizer can now also maintain and circulate plasma energy because of the conductivity. Highly effective, according to recent results,'" _Shego finished.

"That's…" Kim trailed off. She didn't know what to say.

"Insane?" Shego suggested.

"Was gonna say totally bonkers, but that works too."

Shego frowned and picked up a test tube filled with a strange liquid. "Yeah, the crazy shark cat thing had some sort of serum that blocked my powers and knocked me unconscious if enough was put in my body."

"I remember, I think you told me about that. Then this must be where DNAmy splices DNA and creates her animal hybrids," Kim concluded and took another look around.

"Okay, she seriously needs to get a new hobby," Shego curled her lip in disgust and carelessly tossed the filled test tube over her shoulder, causing the glass to shatter on the floor. The serum sizzled upon leaving its container, and a few wisps of smoke billowed into the air from the small explosion.

"Don't break any more stuff please," Kim sighed.

"Why not? I'm gonna demolish all of her shit after we're done anyway," Shego retorted.

"Well, this _shit_ could be important to changing Lucifer back to his non-mutated self," Kim pointed out. "Plus, we don't know what's in all these flasks and containers. It could be explosives or acids or poisons or something."

"Fine. We change Lucifer back to a boring tiger and _then_ I'll blow all of DNAmy's shit up."

"But we also need to figure out if we even _can_ alter his DNA. I mean, we should probably _find_ him first before changing him back but-"

"Uh, doy! C'mon!" Shego rolled her eyes, and the two girls sped out of the room to continue their hunt. "No more distractions, Princess. I didn't come all the way down here just to sightsee with you as a tour guide-"

"Sorry about that, I tend to ramble when I'm nervous," Kim said sheepishly.

"We'll be fine as long as we don't run into any problems or get distracted-"

"Uh- Shego?" Kim interrupted again and tapped on the villainess's neon green-clad shoulder.

Shego huffed and retracted her head from yet another empty room. "What now? I thought I said no more distractions-"

She didn't finish her sentence. A small, black form lurked among the shadows that seemed to hug the walls of the underground facility. Its ebony fur melted into the darkness, giving it the illusion that it was invisible. Neither girl would've suspected a thing if it wasn't for the piercing gleam of shining white teeth.

Kim sucked air through her teeth as the dark creature stepped into the light. Shego visibly stiffened as well, but a mask of stoic indifference remained on her face.

A very familiar black cat grinned at them with rows of hyper sharp teeth. His shark tail swished mesmerizingly on the ground, and his narrowed eyes radiated a predatory air.

It wouldn't have been too surprising if it wasn't for the fact that the mutant creature was ten times bigger than before. What was once a fun-sized ten-pound feline, looked to now be over 300 strong. He looked more like a panther than a cat.

"Looks like someone hit a growth spurt," Shego remarked in an even voice. She ignored the chill creeping up her spine like pins and needles teasing her sensitive skin.

"Or got injected with like- elephant DNA or something," Kim said, her voice tensing up as Cheshire stalked closer.

"It might explain why its flea-bitten pelt is impenetrable," Shego replied with a scrunched up nose.

"Not a good enough excuse to use the word '_penetrate,'_" Kim cringed a bit.

"Does it actually have like 9 lives? Cause I swear to god, it's like this thing won't just fucking _die_!" Shego snarled vexedly.

Jumping forward, Shego flung a wave of flaring plasma at the creature with a sweep of her arm. She made sure her unleashed power was widespread, blocking any chance of Cheshire dodging the attack.

Kim jumped back from the lack of warning beforehand, even though she was standing behind the villainess, and she flinched away from the intense heat that rippled through the air.

The blanket of green energy struck Cheshire with such force, he skidded a few feet backward. But instead of combusting into flames or fleeing the deadly attack, the mutant big cat stood tall with his black paws planted firmly in the ground. Though his posture screamed angry, his lashing shark tail and flattened ears being a clear indication, he still grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

_A smile shouldn't be this damned creepy._

She involuntarily took a step back, noticing how the creature's fangs were dripping with a liquid she suspected was the same plasma-neutralizing serum that was injected into her. It bemused her, even more, to see the cat's unresponsiveness to the several emerald flames dancing like fleas around his body.

He stood menacingly with a triumphant gleam in his eyes, almost daring the girls to attack him first. If he was a person, he would've smirked.

His midnight pelt was sleek and shiny from what she guessed was the same solution that was excreting from his fangs, most likely protecting him from her powers. Not only was he perfectly unharmed by the flames, but it also looked like he was now harnessing their power as they swirled around his untainted fur.

"The stuff on his fur is making him immune to your powers," Kim managed to spit out through her astonishment.

"No fucking shit, Kimmie! Is this hairball made of fucking stone or something?" Shego asked incredulously.

"Honestly, I don't even want to find out," Kim replied, taking a battle stance. Heat still lingered in the humid air, and beads of sweat dotted the edges of her forehead. She brushed away the strands of wild red hair that were plastered against her clammy face. "We're gonna kick this kitty's furry ass anyways- right uhhhh- Shego?"

The pale thief stared blankly at the mutant cat, suddenly remembering the dozens of times those fangs, teeth, and claws slashed her skin. Tore her hair. Spilled her blood.

She remembered that fateful stormy night and how the creature knocked her unconscious with just a single bite. She remembered how helpless she was, cowering on the cold, hard ground of her cell, unable to stop the flurry of painful attacks that was unleashed upon her every day. She remembered how terrified she was that her powers had disappeared. She remembered everything in vivid detail.

And now her attacker was over ten times bigger.

Her breath quickened as she took another step back, looking close to having a panic attack. The creature knew her every move and how to counter it, and now her plasma wasn't even affecting it. How would she fight it?

"Shego? What's wrong?" Kim glanced back and forth between the panicking older woman and Cheshire. She had her arms up and in a defensive stance, ready if the overgrown catshark decided to pounce. "Are we gonna fight or what?"

Shego couldn't take her wide eyes off the four-foot tall mutant cat. He crouched low to the ground, his dark belly fur just barely brushing the floor. Green flames swirled around his pelt as they refused to dissipate into the air, making him appear mystical and deadly at the same time.

If his tainted fangs pierced her skin, not only would her powers be suppressed, but she might actually be knocked unconscious. She may be dauntless, but she wasn't stupid enough to take that risk.

Plus, what if Kim got bit? What would the plasma neutralizing serum do to her normal human body? She doubted it was anything good.

That worry alone made all thoughts of fighting Cheshire flee from Shego's mind.

"No way am I going to let this hairball touch Kimmie," Shego muttered under her breath. Her voice was so low she wasn't even sure if she actually spoke those words or if it was just her thoughts.

"What?" Kim asked. She thought she heard the pale villainess say something.

"WegottagoPrincess!" Shego stammered out hurriedly. She snatched Kim's hand and roughly yanked her back, earning a sharp yelp from the teen.

"Shego!" Kim exclaimed in more surprise than pain. "What're you _doing_?!"

"Running away, _doy_!" Shego hissed and tugged her hand. She really hated the idea of fleeing. _Really _hated it. Like hello? Chickens much? She inwardly scoffed.

_Since when does Shego ever run away from a fight?_

"But-" Kim didn't have the chance to protest.

"I don't wanna lose my powers and get knocked out again! Or pull your deadass weight around if you get knocked out too!" Shego explained hastily.

In a flash, Shego pulled her around a corner and they were blindly sprinting through the winding corridors. The villainess let go of the teen hero's hand once Kim got the idea that they were running away from the creature.

Shego hated every aspect of the fact they were not the chasers, and were instead, being chased.

Their hasty steps echoed throughout the silent facility, the thundering sound of pawsteps behind them. It was like the crescendoing beat of drums pounding in their ears. They weren't sure where they were running, only that they hoped wherever they were going led them to Lucifer and not a dead end.

However, Shego did feel a second of brief admiration for the teen running next to her. She noted how quickly and gracefully Kim moved, even in baggy clothing, and how well she was keeping up with her.

Kim, on the other hand, glanced at Shego and admired how easily she sprinted in her iconic skin-tight catsuit. Though the villainess had only recently recovered from her major injuries, her strong and fluid movements indicated nothing to the fact she was mortally wounded days ago.

_Stop thinking about that! Less ogling, more running for your lives!_

Those surprising, but definitely not unwelcomed, thoughts unfortunately had to be pushed to the back of their minds. The low growls of Cheshire were practically vibrating off of their sweaty backs, as they were only separated by a few measly feet. They could even feel the intense heat the plasma bouncing on his fur radiated.

Like a blur of shadowy neon lightning, the creature's midnight pelt laced with raging green flames streaked behind Kim and Shego. It was like they were two frightened mice being chased by a housecat.

A giant, devilish housecat with deadly fangs and plasma powers swirling around his seemingly indestructible body.

The wind whipped through Cheshire's sleek fur, and the lingering plasma still clung onto his limber body. It made his lithe form glow and spark like a firecracker at night.

With every stride of his lean, powerful legs, a trail of jade fire was left. An intricate machine standing quietly to the side fell victim to the sweep of raging flames from Cheshire as he rushed by.

It easily ignited and combusted into a fury of light and heat, pieces of shrapnel flying into the empty hallway. The loud explosion rang through the facility, but the cacophony wasn't enough to make Kim and Shego stop and think twice about it.

"Did you… hear that?" Kim asked in between short, rapid breaths.

"Do you mean… the sound of… my dignity crumbling? I can… hear it loud and clear!" Shego panted.

"No, I thought…I heard a loud 'boom' back there," Kim said, still breathing heavily.

"Well, if we don't getaway… from the fucking Satan cat… we _will _go '_boom!'_" Shego retorted.

A nearby table filled with papers was also touched by the hot ribbons of energy, and it too, burst into flames, starting a chain reaction. More explosions followed, but the girls were already too far away to notice.

Unbeknownst to the two escaping girls and catshark hybrid hot on their heels, the initial burst of sparks was spreading like wildfire.

A giant mutant cat wasn't the only danger following Kim and Shego.

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Of course, something's always gonna go wrong :) Hope you like this chapter y'all!


	37. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: So sorry for the delay on this chapter! I came down with the flu and am super backed up with commissions atm (I'm an artist, nOt a writer remember). But reviews and feedback really help keep the story going!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 36_

Kim and Shego darted around a corner and sprinted down an interminable hallway that led to yet another long hallway. They felt like they'd been going in circles for the last three minutes.

_How big is this place?!_

An irate growl interrupted their temporary spurt of fatigue, and they sucked air through their teeth before running harder. The two girls didn't need to look to know Cheshire was a whisker's length behind them, and they could practically feel his hot breath blowing on their backsides.

"I don't like having to run from my enemies," Shego growled.

"Think of it as running towards Lucifer," Kim said. _Hopefully_, she added in her head.

Rounding another corner, Kim's heart dropped to her stomach as the girls were met with a wall.

"_Godammit_!" Shego breathed viscously.

"At least we don't have to run anymore?" Kim offered.

"I prefer running over getting my powers and consciousness taken away!"

They reluctantly skidded to a halt and whipped around to face the prowling big cat. He had slowed his running pace to a steady stalk, and his glowing, lithe form slithered closer to the hero and villainess. His fluffy belly fur brushed the floor as he crouched low, his shoulders hunched and ready to pounce.

"Golly gee, this is the perfect timing for a dead-end," Shego spat sarcastically as she instinctively lit up her hands.

From the fire still stubbornly swirling around Cheshire's sleek body, her plasma was evidently ineffective and actually giving him an advantage. She was just too stressed to recall small, yet important, details about what was happening right now.

Not wasting another moment, she swept her arm as if she was throwing a Frisbee and unleashed a wave of plasma before Cheshire could attack. The girls' vision was washed with a blazing green, and Kim had to squint through the harsh light. The fire hadn't even died down yet as Cheshire soared through the still-raging flames, teeth and claws bared.

Shego swiftly ducked, just barely avoiding his outstretched claws, but Kim was blinded by the intense light for a brief second.

And a second of distraction was all Cheshire needed.

Like a blur of crackling lightning, his flickering jade form latched onto a stunned Kim as she fell backwards. The overgrown mutant cat's tackle felt like the force of a whole football team, and the impact temporarily knocked the wind out of the petite teen.

Her back hit the ground. _Hard_. She wouldn't be surprised if she bruised a few ribs or even fractured something.

Kim quickly blinked out of her daze from the flash of large snapping jaws, and she struggled to avoid the deadly fangs underneath Cheshire's firm grip. His claws dug into her shoulders, ripping through the black fabric and piercing her fair skin. She clenched her teeth in pain and found it hard to breathe with a 300-pound mass of muscle pinning her down.

"_Back the fuck up, hairball!_" Shego roared as she easily peeled the fiery creature off Kim.

The redhead gasped from the release of weight, and she doubled over with a cough, hastily putting out the green flames crawling around the rims of her clothes. Her now-exposed shoulders were burned red and bleeding, and a long tear was slashed across her chest by one of Cheshire's fangs just barely missing her skin.

She didn't bother to assess let alone acknowledge her injuries, though, as she scrambled to her feet to see Shego tussling with Cheshire. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins, allowing her racing mind to ignore and suppress the waves of pain and exhaustion.

Shego was still trying to defend herself and attack with her plasma-charged moves, despite the mutant cat being immune to her powers. Her moves also looked restrained, as she lacked her usual wide range of motion and fluidity, and Kim guessed it was because Shego was more focused on avoiding Cheshire's tainted fangs. She was sustaining more injuries than she could dish out, and Kim could see the panic settling in the villainess's emerald eyes.

Her brain processed that in a matter of seconds, and Kim fought back the urge to leap right back into the fight and help the older woman.

_Now's not the time to be impulsive!_ _Think, Kim! Think, think, think!_

A fraction of a lightbulb moment was all her mind needed to jump in to help Shego. And once it flickered, she charged back into the tussle. Springing off the ground as if it were a springboard, she sent a powerful flying kick onto the glowing mass of midnight fur circling the villainess's body.

One of the only perks of Cheshire being over ten times bigger than before was that it was now over ten times easier to hit him. The extra weight and muscle mass made it more difficult for the mutant cat to move, so though he was still fast, he had trouble dodging attacks.

Kim's foot thankfully struck her target and not Shego, and Cheshire skidded backward. The creature stumbled on his four paws, and Kim took the opportunity to follow up on her attack with another kick.

Her foot came in contact with his soft, sensitive belly fur, causing him to hiss in pain, but she jumped back when the green flames latched onto her shoelaces. Before the fire could burn through, she hastily put it out, burning her hands in the process.

Shego had backed up so that she was next to Kim. Her iconic catsuit lay in tatters, exposing parts of pale green skin underneath. Strands of tousled, raven hair clung to her sweaty face, and a long gash dripped with fresh crimson from her forehead.

The two girls stood a few feet apart from a recovering mutant catshark, but neither complained about the few seconds of rest they were given.

"I'm gonna fucking slaughter this fleapelt, I swear to god," Shego snarled.

"We can't defeat him with your plasma or my moves," Kim readied herself to attack as Cheshire climbed to his paws, seemingly unharmed, lashing his shark tail angrily. "It's obviously not working!"

"Then what do _you_ suggest, smartass?!"

"We need to work together!"

"I would laugh at how cliché that sounded if we weren't about to _fucking die!" _

There was no time to explain Kim's plan.

_God, I hope this works._

The flaming mutant cat whipped his head around and gave a menacing snarl, but this time Kim was prepared.

"Shego! Plasma!" Kim ordered.

Shego looked confused for a second because they both knew her powers weren't hurting Cheshire, but rather giving him an advantage. She complied anyway and sent a horizontal splay of plasma at the mutant big cat.

The flames howled around Cheshire, completely engulfing his protected body with jade fire, and Kim took the moment of his obliviousness to tuck and roll out of the way. Her back slammed onto a stack of metal crates off to the side as she scrambled upright, fumbling for something tightly strapped to her belt.

A streak of flickering black fur leaped through the lowering flames towards Shego, who was poised to retaliate. Not bothering to calculate her aim, Kim fired her grappling hook at Cheshire midair. The thick cord wrapped around his back leg, allowing the metal hook to latch onto his paw, and she yanked back hard.

She pulled back so strongly, her elbow thrust into the metal crate to her side, creating a large dent. Cheshire slammed into the ground, his back leg rendered useless as it was being tugged backwards. His chin, and ultimately the fangs protruding out the sides of his muzzle, smacked the solid ground. The two long, front teeth that had the power to suppress superpowers and induce sleep snapped off as if they were toothpicks. The pair of gleaming fangs clanged off to the side, leaving a thin trail of blood and serum behind.

He let out a massive roar in outrage and pain, and two steady streams of blood poured from the two new gaps in between his rows of serrated teeth. The stubborn flames from Shego's plasma around his lithe body finally died down, revealing the sleek midnight fur it was circling.

As the mutant cat struggled to find his footing on three legs, Kim still pulling the other one back, he was suddenly pushed back down to the ground by Shego's foot. Another swift kick to his side made his forelegs crumple, making him collapse in a heap of tangled, ebony fur. The enraged villainess raised her foot again, looking ready to stomp down on Cheshire's thick, furry neck.

"_Shego, wait! Don't kill him!_" Kim shrieked.

Shego scoffed. "Woah Princess, keep your socks on, I wasn't going to. I was gonna do _this._"

Instead of kicking downwards, as if she planned on breaking his neck, she swung her foot as if she were punting a football. Her foot grazed the back of the creature's neck, and a small chip went flying from the impact.

Cheshire spasmed once before his narrowed, dilated eyes softened, the pupils turning large and round. He lost his menacing smile and looked around sharply to see Kim's grappling hook digging into his back leg. Trying to pull away from the restraint, the hook only gouged a deeper cut into his leg as Kim was not letting go. He growled in pain and pressed himself closer to the blood-stained ground, clearly frightened by Shego's looming figure over him.

Now that Shego had kicked the mysterious chip off his neck, the mutant catshark that was trying to kill them mere moments ago now looked and behaved like a scared kitten. Cheshire flailed on the floor like a fish out of water, and his dark face was caked with clumps of crimson. Kim wasn't sure if it was hers, Shego's, or his own blood.

Shego pressed her foot into Cheshire's wide shoulders, pinning him to the ground easily. He whimpered and hissed in fear, trying to use his large shark tail to knock the villainess's leg away.

"It sucks to be a bottom, doesn't it, devil cat?" Shego smirked. She reached up to wipe away the line of blood dripping down her forehead.

"I thought you were gonna kill him for a second there," Kim admitted, exhaling in relief.

"If I didn't have any sense of moral values, I'd splay his kidneys right here and now," Shego shrugged and regarded Cheshire with narrowed eyes. "But he's just another victim of DNAmy. She's the one who deserves to have her kidneys splayed."

"He's probably just a scared house cat she kidnapped. Well, catnapped," Kim agreed with a small smile.

"Mhm. You gonna help me tie this hairball up or not?"

Kim retracted her grappling hook since Cheshire had stopped fighting, and she went over to help Shego. She twirled the handle of the orange hairdryer around her pointer finger and grinned at Shego triumphantly. The older woman sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I get it, I get it. Your dumb grappling hook came in handy and saved the day. We defeated this fleapelt because we worked together. There's no _'I'_ in _'team'_ or whatever bullshit people tell kids. Whoopdy-fucking-doo," Shego twirled her fingers with mock enthusiasm.

"I didn't say anything," Kim blinked innocently.

"Oh, stop gloating."

They found some rope in the nearby crates, probably used to handle DNAmy's mutant hybrids, and tied up the big cat's legs loosely. Kim made sure to wrap them tight enough so that he couldn't escape but loose enough so that it wouldn't hurt his injured back leg further.

Kim finished tying a knot around Cheshire's back legs and reached up to feel her shoulders with tentative fingers, wincing when her nails brushed the fresh gouges. She bit her lip to push away the stinging pain, seeing that Shego wasn't complaining, despite having twice the amount of cuts and bruises.

Shego raised an eyebrow at the many deep gashes on Kim's shoulders and arms. "You okay?"

Kim gave a weak smile. "I mean, I have a pulse so I guess I'm okay."

"Splendid. Let's stay okay long enough to get out of this hellhole," Shego replied dryly.

"Sounds like a solid plan to me."

The former evil sidekick roughly pushed a now-bound Cheshire to the side so that he could curl up and rest against the wall. Minus the fact the mutant catshark was over 300 pounds, and was, well, half-shark, he looked about as frightened as a regular cat. Seeing that Cheshire was secure and had no plans of attempting to escape, Kim located the tiny chip Shego had knocked off his neck.

Kim picked it up and brushed away the strands of tangled, red hair hanging loosely over her smudged face. "What is this thing?"

"Beats me," Shego shrugged, glancing over her shoulder to see Cheshire staring at them blankly. His eyes, now wide and round, looked extremely tired.

"He calmed down as soon as you kicked it off. Maybe it's some mind control device?" Kim guessed, turning the inch-wide square chip around in her fingers.

Shego grimaced. "Ugh, I _hate_ mind control."

"Same. But how would you control an animal's mind?"

"Kimmie, we can worry about that later. I don't know if you forgot, but your goofy friends can't keep all of DNAmy's minions up there forever," Shego reminded.

"Right, sorry, stick to the plan," Kim nodded and slipped the chip in her cargo pants pocket.

_I'll ask if Wade can find out what the chip does later._

Before they could run off to search other rooms, Kim suddenly frowned and looked at the dead end. A single door with a large, red sign that said _'Caution: Radiation in Testing'_ seemed to be beckoning to her like a magnet. She remembered seeing the same sign the first time she'd broken into DNAmy's lab.

_Shego's old cell room._

"Pumpkin, let's go!" Shego called.

"Wait, we should search this room first real quick," Kim insisted.

Shego glanced at the room Kim was referring to and immediately tensed. "DNAmy kept the dumb litter box in a different room than mine. We're just wasting time."

"We should check all the rooms just to make sure, though."

The villainess still didn't move.

"It'll be fine, Shego," Kim reassured.

Kim's gaze was intense, and it projected the same fiery determination she always had when fighting Shego on missions before. It was that spark of passion that kept her going.

"I don't wanna go back in there," Shego whispered almost pleadingly.

"Then I'll go by myself. I'll be quick," Kim promised, her eyes shining with sympathy. She could understand why Shego was so resistant to wanting to go back in a room that was essentially her torture chamber.

The villainess nodded and hung back with Cheshire, who was still slumped over to the side. After rescuing Lucifer, and hopefully reverting him to his natural tiger self, they'd come back and do the same for Cheshire. She waited silently while Kim opened the door and peered into the workspace.

The large mahogany desk hadn't moved, and there weren't any more messy notes or random papers scattered across it. Instead, there was a single clipboard and pen in the center as if someone was preparing to conduct an experiment and take notes.

The teen hero stepped deeper into the room to gaze through the wide, horizontal glass panel. Familiar striped tan fur immediately caught her eye and she turned to look at Shego, still waiting a few feet away.

"Lucifer's here!" Kim informed excitedly.

_Finally, some good luck!_

"If this is some cruel ass prank for you to get me in that cell, I swear to god-" Shego threatened in a low voice.

"Shego, I would never do that to anyone, especially you," Kim frowned.

Shego sighed and had the decency to look a little sheepish. "I know, sorry, I forgot that Goodie-goodies don't pull pranks."

"How do you always find a way to insult me in every single sitch we're in?" Kim asked.

"I'd say raw talent, but honestly you're just too easy to tease, Pumpkin," Shego managed a low sneer, a slight teasing gleam in her hesitant eyes.

She jogged over to meet Kim, almost having to force her legs to move towards the cell. Despite the vigorous fighting she did not even three minutes ago, her muscles felt stiff and cold. It wasn't from fear though. She wasn't scared of anything. Especially a dumb room.

Shego kept repeating that to herself.

Poking her head into the clean workspace, she almost immediately brightened when she saw a heap of black strips and a curled, maroon scorpion tail through the glass panel. Lucifer's face was hidden since he was squeezing himself into a corner, his forehead pressed on the wall. Bloodstains littered the concrete floor, but Shego didn't care about any of that.

She briskly whisked by Kim and heaved the heavy metal door open. It was surprisingly and thankfully unlocked. Her initial hesitance and apprehension had dissipated now that they had found what they had risked their lives for. The two girls burst into the brightly lit cell, the chilled air gripping their open wounds.

"Litter box!" Shego called, dashing over to the giant mass of fur.

Lucifer's round ears perked up at the voice that definitely wasn't his capturer's. He whipped his massive head around, and his dull eyes flashed with glee at the sight of the pale villainess. In one enormous bound, he butted his head affectionately against Shego's chest, almost knocking her backward. His long scorpion tail curled in delight as deep rumbles emitted from the back of his throat.

Kim just hung back with a small smile as Shego reunited with the mutant creature that had destroyed her old apartment. She watched the cranky, huffy villainess tenderly stroke the scorpion tiger hybrid as if she were a child holding a kitten. She listened to the soft purrs vibrating around the cell, and frankly, Kim couldn't tell if the happy noises were coming from Lucifer or Shego.

Shego suddenly remembered that Kim was still there, and she stopped petting Lucifer, much to his dismay. He backed up and sniffed her wounds, inflicted by Cheshire, licking the dried blood off with slow rasps of his tongue. The wet licks somehow found their way to the long slash on her forehead, and she grimaced from the saliva dripping down her face.

"Eww, get off me you dumb affectionate monster," Shego grunted and pushed his furry head away, trying her best to look irked.

She succeeded, but Kim could see her initial fear of her old cell was washed completely away by Lucifer's waves of affection.

"He really likes you," Kim commented, still smiling. She was shuffling her feet awkwardly to the side, not wanting to interrupt the villainess and 600-pound creature.

Shego snorted and bopped his wet nose with a finger as if he were a disobedient pet. "He's just a big, whiny baby who's sucking up to me because we're rescuing him. Come over here, Kimmie."

Kim obeyed, and though she knew Shego would never allow Lucifer to hurt her, she still eyed him warily. Hey, he could easily crush them both like a bug if he wanted to. The big cat sat quietly because he understood that Kim was here to help and wasn't DNAmy.

Shego took Kim's hand and held it out in front of her, just a foot away from the creature's muzzle. The redhead flushed a little from Shego's proximity.

"Just let him come to you," Shego said and let Kim hold her hand up by herself.

Lucifer's whiskers twitched at the new scent, and he leaned forward to touch the teen's outstretched hand with his head. Kim gawked as he rubbed his head on her palm, and she smiled at the gentle giant. Now that they were so close together, she finally got a good look at him. His striped, tan fur was matted with large clumps of it missing around his thick neck, and the teen could see that he was a lot skinnier than last time.

"Thank you for helping us last time," Kim whispered, softly petting him. "Now let us help you."

He tilted his head quizzically, obviously not understanding her, but if this young woman trusted Shego, he would trust her.

Shego had already moved to his side while Kim was keeping him distracted. She set a finger ablaze and easily sliced through the thick shock collar strapped around his neck. Bare, blistered pink skin was revealed once she ripped the torture collar off, and she wasted no time in smashing it on the ground. The tiny black shards scattered across the floor, and she gave a satisfied smirk at no one in particular.

"Okay, Fish Sticks, no more shocks for you ever again," Shego announced and stepped back so that Lucifer could paw his freed neck happily.

The mutant big cat swept his scorpion tail as he circled the cell, prancing around like an excited puppy. Kim and Shego had to duck to avoid the deadly stinger. It was like Lucifer didn't know his own size and how powerful his movements could be.

"Hey! You dumb litter box, don't knock those down unless you want all of us to barbecue!" Shego barked, pointing at the yellow bins stacked off to the side. Lucifer understood her stern tone and calmed down, wrapping his tail neatly around his front paws as he sat down. He kneaded the ground impatiently, clearly antsy to leave the cramped cell he had been locked in.

"What are those?" Kim asked, gesturing to the yellow containers.

"Radioactive trash or some shit. DNAmy was experimenting with them on me and discovered some new, sick form of radiation or something," Shego explained.

"Oh… yeah, definitely not good."

"Doy, it fucked up my powers and gave me a massive headache," Shego waved her hand dismissively. "Just don't touch or open them and I'll be fine. Let's get out of here."

"Actually, Shego, that's what I was planning to do," DNAmy's voice rang throughout the room from a hidden speaker.

The two girls immediately whirled around to see DNAmy smiling lazily at them behind the safety of the glass panel. The large, metal door suddenly slammed shut, and they were-

_Trapped._

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Y'ALL SHEGO MADE A BOTTOM JOKE AND I'M LIVING FOR IT LMAO


	38. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney.

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Y'all me and my friends made a Discord server for KiGo fans! If you want to be invited, send me a DM and I'll give you the link to join!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 37_

Monique was the first to notice the fire. It was already spreading from the cash register down to a fallen stack of flyers offering a fat reward for a missing tiger.

The inside of the quaint pet shop looked like a tornado just tore through it, followed by a bunch of rampaging animals. The employees ran around like headless chickens screaming bloody murder as they tried to avoid the fangs of slithering snakes, talons of flapping birds, and Rufus's two front teeth.

Despite it already being a couple of minutes, no one had noticed Ron or Monique through all the mayhem. The blonde boy basically blended in with everyone else as he added to the chaos by shrieking and knocking things down. Both he and Rufus looked to be having a lot of fun doing that.

Their plan to keep all of DNAmy's assistants occupied was working – until everything started spiraling out of control of course.

"Ron! _FIRE!_" Monique yelled, coughing through the thick smoke that was quickly starting to congest in the small store.

"What?" Ron didn't hear her through the cacophony of screeching animals and people.

"I said-"

"_OH MY GOD, MONIQUE THERE'S A FIRE!_" Ron gasped and scrambled away from the flames.

Monique wanted to roll her eyes, but she knew that they were now on a time crunch. His scream got the attention of the panicking employees, and after a moment, you could almost see the little lightbulb flipping on in their heads.

They recognized him in his mission clothes.

Ron gave a cheeky smile before calling, "Rufus! Showtime's over, buddy!" The bald rodent scrambled from his perch on a cat scratching post and leaped onto the boy's shoulder.

"Stop gawking and help us move the animals for God's sake!" Monique barked at the questioning employees. Ron had already smashed the windows and kicked down the doors to let the billowing smoke out.

DNAmy's workers glanced at each other and then the fire before one spoke up. "Screw this, I'm not getting paid enough for this shit."

And then they fled.

"That's right! You better run ya chickens!" Ron cheered, and Rufus pumped his tiny fists.

"Ron, let's save the animals first and celebrate later!" Monique huffed and coughed again, gently picking up a family of hamsters.

"Yes, ma'am!"

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

Kim rushed to the closed metal door and attempted to kick it down. Her foot struck the seemingly impenetrable surface, and she winced from the impact.

"Bad idea," she shook her head.

"Back up, Kimmie," Shego commanded and flung a plasma ball at the door. The flames spread across the walls harmlessly as they absorbed the hot green energy with ease. "Okay… so we might be fucked if my plasma does nothing."

"_It's kinda doing nothing!"_

Lucifer cowered behind Shego and Kim as they scrambled around the room like trapped rats. He wrapped his large tail tightly around his quivering paws, and soft whimpers escaped his lips as he hid his large head.

DNAmy stood, clipboard and pen in hand, on the other side of the glass. She watched with calm amusement as the girls tried their minimal exits. It was quite entertaining watching them, so she made no effort into rushing to the main event.

"Back to complete the tests we didn't have the chance to finish, Shego?" DNAmy asked casually.

"Of course, I crawled into your disgusting hellhole and beat the shit out of your devil cat just so I could let you rip out my fucking kidneys," Shego spat, her cold voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You've always had a way with banter, dearie," DNAmy chuckled wryly. "Now, as much as I love chatting with you, let's proceed with our tests, shall we?"

"Over my dead body," Kim growled.

"Ah, Kim Possible, it's such a pleasure to see you again."

"I, unfortunately, can't say the same for you," Kim said icily.

"What a shame, you always make my experiment trials quite interesting, to say the least. Might I ask why you're accompanying Shego to her inevitable demise?"

"She's my friend," Kim declared, more confident in her answer than she ever was before.

"But this has nothing to do with you," DNAmy pointed out.

"This has everything to do with me! You have to be more insane than you already are to think I'd hand Shego over to you as if she were some inanimate test subject," Kim retorted. "You mess with her, you mess with me."

"God, can you do us both a favor and _stop_ being so cliché today, Kimmie?" Shego sighed, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"Sorry, I've been watching way too many romcoms lately," Kim shrugged, her face still steely.

"I know, you make me watch them with you," Shego grumbled under her breath.

"As I was saying," DNAmy interrupted, exasperated. "I-"

"You don't get to say jack-shit you sick bitch," Shego cut the geneticist off. "We're gonna take this litter box home back from where you stole him from, and if you're lucky, I won't kill you too slowly in the process."

"Huh, how ambitious," DNAmy remarked distractingly as she pressed a few buttons on a keypad.

"Why are you doing this?" Kim demanded, trying to buy them some time to search for an escape route. She tried to ignore the fact that it didn't even look like they _had_ any escape routes, to begin with. Shego was still testing her plasma on every inch of the cell while Lucifer crouched as low as possible to the ground, trying to avoid her frustrated spurts.

"For science of course," DNAmy beamed.

"You're working for someone else," Kim's tone made it sound more like a statement than a question. "Who are you giving the information on Shego's powers to?"

"That's none of your concern," DNAmy narrowed her dark eyes. "What matters is that I'm an evil genius! I've transcended scientists and physicists and geneticists worldwide by discovering a new form of radiation, one that will make me more famous than I already am. I'm absolutely brilliant!"

"Yup, she's definitely insane," Kim muttered.

"Already knew that. Any brilliant ideas on how we get out?!" Shego scanned the cell, resisting the urge to punch the thick glass in frustration. It would do them no use, and conserving her energy, as well as all of her fingers, would most certainly be useful right now.

"Air vents!" Kim suddenly remembered how Ron had broken into this same cell before.

"We can't fit a fucking giant hairball up there, Princess!" Shego retorted, feeling more than frustrated at this point.

"_Mroww_-" Lucifer whined, his eyes wide with fear.

The slow whirring of gears caught the panicking girls' attention, and even Lucifer perked his ears at the grinding noise. Mechanical arms had begun cracking open the seals of the yellow bins, most definitely containing radioactive waste, and the still air turned foul from very faint green fumes.

"Oh, fu-" Shego didn't get to finish her sentence. Her plasma reacted by igniting against her will, and she grasped her head as her ears started ringing.

"Shego!" Kim gasped, attempting to reach out towards the villainess.

"_Get back!_" Shego commanded in a warning tone. Green flames were making their way up her uniform sleeves, slithering around her arms like snakes.

The mechanical arms worked steadily as they peeled sealed lids off of the containers, releasing more and more fumes into the air. Kim coughed and staggered behind Lucifer's massive cowering body, feeling her head start to spin from the radiation. She only needed a few seconds of breathable air.

As she was being shielded by the mutant tiger, she could feel his body shake and press itself tighter into the corner. His ears were flattened against the back of his head, and his large scorpion tail was wrapped around his front legs like a protective barrier.

Inhaling the fumes seemed to suddenly spark something primal in Lucifer as his eyes morphed into tiny slits. His gentle expression turned beastly as he, too, started losing control.

"Wade!" Kim yelled into her Kimmunicator. The computer genius immediately picked up the phone and noticed her strained expression. "I need you to shut down the power! The whole facility!"

"On it, Kim," Wade knew better than to ask questions, especially after hearing the anxiety and desperation in the teen's voice. He kept his voice calm and collected as he typed furiously into his computer. It wouldn't help the blatantly dire situation if he started panicking as well.

But from the look on Kim's face, DNAmy's round figure in the background, the distressed screeching of what he assumed was Lucifer, and the strained howls of Shego as she became a literal human fire tornado, he rationalized that it was okay to internally panic.

In a few seconds, the whirring of machinery stopped and the bright overhead lights died. It would've been completely dark if it weren't for Shego's glowing body standing dead center in the room. She illuminated the cell room as if she were one tall, green candle, bursting with burning energy.

Though the mechanical arms ceased exposing the girls to more radioactive waste, jade fumes still lingered in the air. Shego's plasma only grew as she grasped her head with flaring hands, trying to fight the pounding in her skull and twisted jabs of her stomach. She felt like screaming, vomiting, and dying all at the same time. The last option was beginning to fancy her the longer she was exposed to the radiation.

"Is that DNAmy?" Wade gasped, squinting at his screen.

"Yes! I thought you said you saw no one down here on the security cameras!" Kim replied anxiously. She didn't mean to yell at the computer genius, but with her anxiety rising, it was getting harder to stay calm.

"I didn't! I double-checked all of the cameras, and I didn't even see any camera footage for this room!" Wade protested. "She must've been blocking my signal so I wouldn't see her hiding in here!"

"Wade, I gotta go!" Kim quickly hung up and stashed away her Kimmunicator before it melted right in her hands.

When Shego looked up, her mouth was slight agape in a silent scream, and her once sharp and sparkling green eyes turned brighter, almost into a ghostly white. Her lithe body was slightly hunched over as the swirling plasma shrouded the unmistakable catsuit that was weirdly starting to singe.

Her vision clouded as well as her mind, making any rational thoughts or decisions feel foggy and so unlike her. It was if her body was succumbing to the radiation, twisting her very being and making her lose whatever control she still had over her powers, her thoughts, and her sanity.

Though she could see Kim's faint outline and bright red hair through the green flames, she could barely process who she was. Lucifer's raging figure was practically nothing to her; she just couldn't focus on any solid thoughts long enough.

They just kept getting less and less clear as they faded quicker than her mind could grasp them. Single words, let alone sentences, were unable to construct in her brain and only felt like echoes of whispers that she couldn't hear. All she saw was the green, almost icy white, chaos she was reigning and feeding.

Her body glowed like a burning white orb of energy as she struggled to resist the temptations of letting herself yield to the overwhelming pressure of her stored power, and ultimately, DNAmy. She didn't want to give the twisted geneticist the satisfaction of seeing her spirit crumble till only a pile of ashes was left behind. It was hard, though, when she felt like she was losing every part of herself that made her human.

"Shego! SHEGO!" Kim cried as she watched Shego's pale skin start to burn.

_She's hurting herself!_

The pale villainess almost looked like she was losing any tangible form she possessed as she flickered behind the hot ribbons of light. Green flames consumed her entire form, the center of the fire being a piercing white. It was like she was existing behind a screen.

Her ghostly eyes focused on nothing yet everything as they stared blankly at Kim, and her face was calm, giving off an eerily feeling of acceptance and something un-human. Her expression was so unnatural that it was making Kim's skin crawl.

The teen hero felt her head start to spin as she took a daring step towards the older woman. "_SHEGO_!"

The intense heat proved to be too much as Kim felt her nose start to blister. Sweat was pouring down her forehead like a running faucet, and her distraught face glistened against the blinding light.

Lucifer roared and rampaged around Shego, knocking down the unopened bins of radioactive trash and allowing more radiation to fill the air. The ringing got louder for Shego, and she gave an ear-splitting scream.

Waves of plasma shot out from every inch of her body as she cried out. But the walls couldn't absorb it, and the last thing Kim could process was an earth-shattering explosion as she instinctively ducked and covered her head. The ground quivered as if a group of elephants was stampeding around them, but the cacophony only lasted for a split second.

Shego's powers barely missed Kim and Lucifer thankfully. The redhead felt a beef moment of relief for what she considered that to be a blessing from the universe. The edges of Kim's clothes caught fire, but she quickly did a tumble and rolled to put them out.

Glass, concrete, and metal rained down, but thanks to Shego's still raging plasma, the shards were burned to harmless ashes as they cascaded onto the girls and Lucifer. The walls, glass, and radioactive waste bins had been destroyed, and the ceiling was barely holding up from the swaying support beams. Burn marks streaked the concrete ground, and the heavy metal door that originally locked them in was now melting into a heap of already hardening steel.

As the air cleared now that the room wasn't even a room anymore, but a wide empty space, the fumes in the air dissipated. Once the underground facility stopped shaking from Shego's explosion, Kim looked up and immediately felt concern for the pale villainess.

She didn't even seem to notice that DNAmy was nowhere to be seen anymore. The desk behind the shattered glass was in flaming pieces, and Kim couldn't see anything else behind it due to the lack of overhead lights from the power cut.

Though the atmosphere was now safe and free from any toxins or radiation, Shego looked no different than before the explosion. Her powers fought for dominance uncontrollably around her, shielding her, no, _trapping_ her in a cage of pain.

"Shego! Snap out of it!" Kim sobbed in a cracked voice. Strands of wild, melted crimson hair were plastered against her shiny face, and the wounds on her shoulders were now open and bleeding again. Fallen ash and shrapnel mixed into the deep gashes and bubbling blood, making the cuts sting. That all didn't matter to Kim though.

Shego couldn't hear Kim. She couldn't hear anything except for the endless ringing in her head.

Lucifer, now-calm and back to his affectionate and gentle self, mewed and hid behind Kim. The teen hero dared not hide.

She was done hiding.

Kim stepped closer towards Shego and was immediately being warned away by the burning pricks of green flames. She never listened to warnings, so she inhaled sharply as another step took her to where she was only a foot away from Shego's standing, blazing form.

Powerful waves of heat rolled around Kim's petite body, absorbing and evaporating the sweat that responded. The white around her olive eyes almost matched the color of her tousled crimson mane, and the slots on her dry, cracked lips were starting to tear more.

The older woman looked at Kim blankly, her white eyes giving away nothing as plasma swirled around the two girls.

"Shego! I know you're still in there, fight it!" Kim whispered, her voice determined and desperate.

Shego only continued to stare with those blank, dead eyes.

Kim reached out and took Shego's ablaze, limp hand. She wanted to step closer and pull the older woman into a hug, but the teen knew that if she got any nearer, she would burn to death. Her skin was already feeling like it was being sliced off.

She gave a gentle squeeze even though the green fire dancing around the villainess's unresponsive fingers was starting to melt Kim's glove. The redhead tried to ignore the multiple burns her body, especially her hands, was receiving.

"You weren't kidding when you said we'd be jumping right back into a hellhole," Kim gave a weak half-laugh and then smiled a tiny bit. "But truth be told, there's no one else I'd rather dive head-first in with than you."

Shego blinked, and Kim felt a tiny spark of hope from a reaction that was so minimal, she didn't even realize the super-powered woman hadn't blinked in minutes.

"Okay, I'm trying to do that thing in the movies where they try and bring a person back from talking. I see what you mean with me being cliché today," Kim made a sound that she hoped passed for a chuckle.

"No shit. I'm gonna… add cliché to my list of insults for you," Shego croaked in a low tone.

Her fingers intertwined with Kim's as she finally squeezed the teen's hand back.

"Stop insulting me, this is serious- oh my god, SHEGO?! You can hear me?!" Kim was taken aback. She didn't expect the villainess to give any response to her futile attempts to get through to her head.

"I-I think so," Shego stammered and swayed, her tired, icy white eyes regaining their lush forest-y color. She blinked furiously as her moving pupils tried to focus on the petite figure in front of her. "Kim?"

"That's me," Kim confirmed with a small smile, overjoyed that Shego was returning to herself again.

The heat clinging onto their forms dissolved as the villainess found control of her powers, and her body fought to clean itself of any other traces of radiation. Her arms extinguished, revealing patches of peeling pale skin.

Despite the fire still raging around them, her body felt numb and cold as she crumpled to the ground. She hadn't let go of Kim's hand, so the teen was dragged to the concrete ground with her. Kim grunted from the rough impact but knelt in front of the older woman.

Shego let go, sunk to her knees, and stared at her trembling hands with dull, emerald eyes. A few seconds ago, she appeared almost demon-like as she harnessed power beyond human comprehension, but now, as she shivered in front of Kim as if she had a fever, she only looked like a small, scared child.

"Jesus fucking Christ. I'm a monster…" Shego whispered.

She remembered how trapped she felt in her own body as her powers practically consumed her very being. She could only watch helplessly behind bars as she almost destroyed the one person she had grown to admittedly care about. She couldn't even see Kim through her downward spiral into what she was sure was insanity.

Kim blinked, feeling a slight twinge of déjà vu since she had uttered those exact same words to Shego when she had broken down apologizing. She reached out to take the distraught villainess's hand again, but she flinched away. The younger woman took that as a sign that Shego didn't want any physical comfort right now.

"I consider you a lot of things," Kim started gently as she retracted her hand. "A warrior, a determined, independent woman who doesn't take shit from anyone, the strongest person I've ever met, but not, _never_, a monster."

Shego looked up at Kim and took in the burns, cuts, and gashes donning her slim body. She noticed the ripped clothing and charred gloves, revealing bright red skin underneath. The teen's face was slightly swollen and flushed, almost resembling a tomato whose outer skin was peeling off.

She glanced behind the girl at Lucifer, whose orange pelt now appeared a dark gray due to ash and smoked fur. He looked at Shego warily as he shook his head and whined, trying to clear his own head from the alarming radiation. Bits of shrapnel and glass littered his musty pelt.

Shego then scanned the destroyed room and surprisingly softened her expression as her gaze landed on Kim. She looked almost ashamed like she was pleading for the teen to tell her that she wasn't the cause of all the destruction and Kim and Lucifer's wounds. The villainess loved causing chaos and mayhem, but no, not like this. "Did I… burn you?"

Kim glanced at her red hands where blood had started to deep out of the peeling skin. Her charred mission gloves were barely hanging by a thread on her blistered wrist. She quickly hid them behind her back, even though Shego had already seen the damage she'd caused to the younger woman.

"It's no big," Kim gave her best nonchalant shrug despite her slashed and injured shoulders screaming for her to stop the minimal action.

"I didn't mean to hurt you, Kimmie. I really didn't. I couldn't control my powers or what I was doing. I couldn't even control myself. I could hear you, but it was like I was trapped inside my own body. There was something in me that made me almost lose myself. I-" Shego stammered anxiously.

"Hey, it's okay," Kim cut her off. "You don't need to explain yourself. I already know you weren't really yourself back there."

Shego nodded. "Doy. You sure you're okay?"

"Shego, I'm fine. It's not like you haven't burned me in any of our fights before."

"Not on purpose, though. I just wanted to scare the shit out of you, to be honest. If you ever got any burns, they were always on accident," Shego said defensively.

"And so was this," Kim countered and gestured around the demolished cell. "This isn't your fault, so stop thinking it is. We can worry about injuries later. Because right now, we've got to worry about changing Lucifer back."

Shego nodded, wiping away the mixture of blood and sweat dripping down her cut forehead. "Out of all the crazy things that happened, I never thought in all my life that I'd feel less like shit thanks to Kim Possible."

Kim grinned and helped Shego to her feet as the fire died around them, making it safe to move around. "Well, anything's possible for a Possible." She then bit her cracked lip and hesitated. "I've never seen you get burned by your own plasma before. Are you feeling… better?" She made sure to choose the word carefully. She really wanted to ask if Shego was 'all there' in her head.

"I feel like fucking garbage right now, but if you're wondering if I'm going to spontaneously combust into some demon creation from hell, I feel a whole lot more stable now so no, not likely," Shego reassured with a shaky cough.

"I'm more worried about you than your plasma powers," Kim murmured.

"Don't be, I'll survive," Shego said firmly.

The cell room, or what was left of it, was fairly dark except for the stubborn green flames that have yet to be put out. They didn't seem to be spreading or hurting Lucifer, and they illuminated the place, so neither girl rushed to put out the small, sporadic fires. Their vision was washed with a dark green overlay due to this.

Shego ran a hand through her tangled raven hair, but she stopped midway as a realization dawned on her. She peered into the darkness behind the fallen glass barrier to see that DNAmy was no longer standing there.

"Hold up, where'd that silly bitch go? I'm gonna break both of her legs and then eat her fucking kneecaps for this little stunt she tried to pull," Shego stomped over the shards of glass. From her enraged expression and balled up fists, she looked ready to beat the life out of someone and coldly enjoy every second of it.

DNAmy laid passed out a few feet away from the desk. Her lab coat was completely shredded and blackened from what Shego assumed was her massive plasma blast that exploded the room. Her chubby arm was twisted at a weird angle as it still clutched her snapped clipboard. It was probably broken. A thin pool of blood lapped the edges of her round body, staining her torn lab coat. The slight rise and fall of her chest signaled that she wasn't dead, only unconscious.

Kim swiftly leaped over the hunk of metal that used to be a door to see Shego holding DNAmy's limp body by her throat. The black-haired woman's glasses were broken and hanging off one ear, and she had dropped her clipboard. Shego's right arm was raised as if she were winding up for a punch, and her left hand clenched the geneticist's neck tightly, preparing to choke her.

The enraged villainess gave an animalistic snarl. It only took less than a second for Kim to suddenly realize that when Shego said she was going to kill DNAmy for what she did to her, she wasn't being sarcastic.

"SHEGO! _DON'T!_" Kim exclaimed. She stumbled forward so that she was standing a few feet away and Shego could look directly at her. "You can't kill her!"

"Yes, I can. I could snap her neck right now like the boneless chicken she is," Shego growled, still staring straight into DNAmy's half-closed eyes.

"Okay, you _shouldn't_ kill her."

"And why the fuck not? She tried to kill me! You! Us!" Shego argued heatedly. She was even offended that Kim was trying to save the twisted geneticist who treated her like a lab rat.

"Because you're not a killer. You've got honor, unlike the other villains."

"Don't you remember what she did to me? Don't you remember what she tried _to do?_ Hell, you don't even know _half_ the shit she put me through, Kim!" Shego said in a pained voice, at last deigning to look at the tense teen. Her squinted eyes glinted from the horrific memories replaying in her mind.

"_I know_ I don't know. I'll never truly understand what you went through. But revenge isn't worth your innocence, no matter how horrible the things she did to you were," Kim reasoned, her voice calm.

"Are you out of your little teenage mind? You're seriously taking her fucking side right now?!" Shego nearly screeched. She just couldn't believe what she was hearing. Maybe she really wasn't all there in her head yet.

"There are no 'sides,' Shego," Kim stated. "A woman whom I'd admire so much once told me that the world isn't divided into sides, black or white, good or bad, whatever, but instead a gray area," Kim took another step forward. "_This_ is the gray area."

That seemed to get to Shego and she hesitated, her clenched fist shaking just inches away from DNAmy's slumped-over head. Fire danced in her eyes as she looked at the geneticist with utter hatred.

"Don't do what I did. Don't let your anger control you and make you do something you'll regret for the rest of your life. You don't want to live the rest of your life with blood on your fingers, knowing you killed someone - _Trust me_, you don't know how horrible it felt when I thought I killed you," Kim urged quietly, swallowing hard.

"B-but she-"

"Shego, you're better than that. You're better than her."

Shego looked at Kim for a long moment before finally sighing and dropping DNAmy as if she were a trash bag.

"Hey, I didn't say you shouldn't give her a well-deserved kick or two," Kim said.

The villainess grinned and pivoted her foot into DNAmy's side, earning a very loud _crack_. Before she could deliver another blow, Kim stopped her, not from the fear that Shego would injure the middle-aged woman further, but from a bright orange light growing at the end of the dark hallway.

A tied-up Cheshire seemed to notice too, and he craned his head to look. Lucifer had also poked his head out of the demolished wall to peer into the darkness.

As the light became more evident, and the underground facility was washed with dangerously warm hues, Kim finally started to smell smoke.

Shego was the first to react. She facepalmed. "… Fuck my life."

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Y'all, me and my friends made a Discord server for KiGo fans! If you want to be invited, send me a DM and I'll give you the link to join!

Guys there's only 1 more chapter left in this arc, I'm getting weirdly emotional ;0;;;;;;;;


	39. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Kim Possible. These characters belong to Disney (aside from Lucifer, Cheshire, and any other OCs present in this story).

Disclaimer #2: I'm NOT a writer, I'm an artist. I'm extremely inexperienced in writing fanfics, so I'm so sorry for any inconsistencies in the characters or plot!

Author: iycewing

Story developers: iycewing, PonyCrown

Rating: PG-13

Notice: This will eventually lead to KiGo in later arcs! This is the 1st arc of 6! If you don't like LGBTQ+ pairings, please don't hate. In this story, Season 4 of the show doesn't happen.

Author's preview notes: Guys I'm so sorry for the delay in this last chapter. With everything going on in the world, along with me getting sick, it's been a stressful chapter to write. Please stay safe and healthy and enjoy the last chapter of the 1st arc! I have a lot to say afterwards too so please read my notes at the end of the chapter!

Fanart is always welcome and appreciated! Send them to the places listed on my profile!

**Please read and review! Your feedback helps keep the story going! :D**

* * *

_Chapter 38_

"Fire…" Kim finally managed to croak.

She stood frozen, staring at the hot growing ribbons of orange and red creeping at the end of the demolished hallway. It was strangely mesmerizing, and for a second, her brain stopped processing the searing smoke that was coming in like a black blizzard. Dirt and dust had seeped through the cracks in the destroyed walls, piling around a frightened, tied-up Cheshire.

"This is why I need at least two cups of coffee before doing anything in the morning," Shego muttered. An unconscious DNAmy groaned beside her, letting a small stream of blood trickle out of her slack jaw. Shego glanced at the geneticist and grimaced, her lip curled in disgust. "Actually make that three."

"Shoot, _FIRE!"_ Kim blinked out of her momentary trance and yanked her Kimmunicator out of her pocket. In doing so, the tiny chip they had found on Cheshire's neck tumbled out. She scooped the device back up and stashed it deep into her pants pocket.

_Don't want to lose that._

The sharp tang of smoke started to burn their noses, especially with the two mutant animal's sensitivity to smell. Both cats let out a low whine and pressed their ears back tightly against their heads.

"Time to go losers!" Shego swiftly leaped back and started towards her left, the only direction where the fire wasn't raging. Lucifer didn't follow and continued to stare anxiously at the fellow mutant big cat, much to Shego's surprise.

"Shego, wait! We can't just _leave_ them!" Kim protested, gesturing towards a terrified Cheshire and an unconscious DNAmy.

The villainess paused and whipped her head around. "Uh- sure we can-"

Without waiting to hear Shego's response, she raced towards the restrained mutant feline and grabbed one of the many sharp, broken pieces from the crumbling wall. She quickly sliced the sloppily-tied ropes off with one swift swipe of her makeshift knife, accidentally slicing a length of black fur with it.

Kim discarded the tile shard and coughed, feeling her already-burned skin tingle from the heat's proximity.

With a small shrill of panic from the growing heat, Cheshire shakily pushed himself onto his three sturdy paws. He lifted his injured back leg up and gingerly limped after Kim, wincing every time his mangled paw grazed the ground.

Shego had returned to Lucifer's side, subconsciously petting him with a hardened expression. The docile creature flicked his scorpion tail back and forth nervously as he kneaded the ground with his forepaws, clearly agitated.

With her matching jumpy-ness, Shego looked like she was also about ready to ditch at any second.

"Help me get Cheshire on Lucifer's back! His leg's hurt so he can't run," Kim ordered, ignoring Shego's irritated sputtering.

Shego didn't argue, however, and with the ropes, they had found earlier, she helped strap the shadowy big cat to Lucifer's striped back.

"Oh and we're getting her out too," Kim informed, gesturing at DNAmy's crumpled body.

"Kimmie, life isn't a perfect little fairy tale that always has a happy ending. Sometimes you can't be the hero and save the fucking day!" Shego sighed, more out of frustration than anger.

"No, I can't always be the hero," Kim agreed, her olive eyes steely with determination. "But I sure as hell can try."

And with that she darted into the darkness, Kimmunicator in hand, followed closely by Shego, two mutant big cats, and a sleeping evil geneticist.

"Wade!" Kim exclaimed into her Kimmunicator. "There's a fire and we're trapped down here. We need a way out please!"

"I've got you, Kim," Wade understood the urgency and was already studying their exit routes. "Take a right and then go straight until you can turn left."

Shego had decided to carry DNAmy herself, albeit very roughly without any care of preservation for the geneticist's body. She had thrown the heavy woman over her shoulder like a rag doll, feeling her weight sink into every step she took.

Lucifer often glanced at Shego running beside him with a nervous twitch of his whiskers. He seemed to be galloping along just fine with Cheshire's extra weight hanging onto his back.

"I'm fine," Shego assured him.

Kim's face was washed with both warm and cool hues, as the only sources of light were coming from her device's screen, the tailing flames, and the fiery passion in her squinted olive eyes.

"Turn right again," Wade ordered.

Kim complied and swerved around the corner only to be greeted by a wall of unbreakable flames.

"Wade, the fire's blocking our way! I can't get through!" Kim yelled and stumbled back.

"Stay calm," Wade began furiously typing into his computer. He was sweating as if he was there with them, baking in the intense heat. "Okay, turn around and turn left after you've passed four doors. I'll lead you to another exit."

"If DNAmy was such a genius on genetic altering-" Shego huffed, seemingly unable to catch her breath. "- then why couldn't she just change her own genetic makeup to a lighter human being?! One that preferably weighs less than 300 pounds?"

Kim ignored Shego's complaints and continued to race against time, her eyes and ears focused on the verbal instructions and visual building layout Wade had provided her.

"KIM!" Shego shouted and let DNAmy crash to the floor. She yanked the shocked redhead back so roughly and abruptly that Kim's shoulder almost popped out.

If Shego hasn't stopped her, Kim would've run straight into a crashing fire.

"_Back up!_" Shego barked, shoving Kim back more so that they were far from the death trap.

Kim finally regained her bearings, and the two girls fell back to their small group, who had scrambled away from the fallen beam that had caught fire. The teen was rendered speechless for a brief moment, too stunned to process how close to death she had just gotten. She turned to stare wide-eyed at Shego, the villainess who was the unlikely hero.

"Thank you," Kim breathed. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was."

"No shit," Shego muttered, her downward gaze relieved. "Try not to die, please. I'm not carrying both you and DNAmy out if you do."

Kim simply nodded and turned to look at her Kimmunicator, or rather, her empty hand. "_WAIT- where's_ _my Kimmunicator?!_"

Shego pointed at the bombfire.

_Oh no. No no no no no. I dropped it in there when Shego pulled me back._

"_MY KIMMUNICATOR'S GONE," _Kim gasped. She looked like she would've rather fell into the fire and taken the device's place instead.

"I just saved your life, and you're worried about your _godamn phone?!_" Shego asked incredulously.

"The Kimmunicator was our only chance of getting out of here! Wade had the whole building mapped out so he knew where we needed to go!" Kim shrieked, her voice almost quivering.

"Hey, take it down two notches. We'll get out of here without a living GPS," Shego assured.

"_How?_ We don't have a map, we can't use the air vents, and I'm sure that fire's blocking our only exit!" Kim glanced at where Wade was originally leading them, the unrecognizable hallway now flickering with orange and yellow.

The flurry of fire they were running from could be felt creeping up on their sweaty backs. The longer they delayed, the thicker the air got with heat and smoke. In the broad, blazing light, Kim could clearly see the burned parts of Shego's pale skin. The healed parts were already starting to burn again.

Shego pursed her cracked lips and looked deadly serious. Her striking emerald eyes smoldered brighter than the flames around them. "We wing it and pray we don't get burned alive."

Kim swallowed and nodded tersely, letting Shego lead this time. They passed the large room where DNAmy genetically altered her experiments.

"What about changing Lucifer and Cheshire back?" Kim yelled over the thundering flames.

"To hell with that! I'd rather _get out_ of this place!" Shego shouted back.

Shego turned each burning corner blindly, hoping that it led her to a staircase and not a dead end.

Without any sort of working ventilation, the underground lab only became hotter and stuffier. It felt like running through a field of hidden land mines, the possibility of anything exploding and your leg catching fire high as ever.

"An exit sign! Thank fucking god!" Shego groaned and glanced behind her. "Kimmie, I told you we didn't need Nerdlinger-"

Shego frowned and did a double-take over her shoulder. She slowed down and squinted against the intensifying light and heat.

Two dumb mutant litter boxes: _check._

Bitch who's going to suffer when she wakes up: _check._

Fire that's trying to burn us alive: _check…_

Kimmie: _no check...? NO CHECK._

The villainess skidded to a screeching halt, almost causing Lucifer to crash into her. He stopped too and stood by Shego's side like a loyal dog waiting for its master. Cheshire hung weakly off of the giant scorpion tiger's back, his dark coat matted with clumps of ash and soot.

Shego carelessly dropped DNAmy like a sack of potatoes, causing her broken arm to gruesomely twist more, and scanned the burning hallway behind them. The underground lab looked like something out of a horror movie, twisted metal dripping down the ceiling, crumbling walls, and the strangling fear of no escape. Deep shadows crept into the few places where a fire hadn't already inhabited.

The air didn't smell like that of a cozy, oak wood campfire on a cool summer evening; it reeked of burnt electrical wires, acrid, and chemical-infused choking. She could barely speak, partially from the quantity of smoke she had inhaled and partially from her rising panic. It felt as if a wrecking ball had crashed into her stomach, filling her every inch with dread.

"Kimmie!" Shego called, projecting her voice as much as she could into the pounding roar of the flames.

No indication of movement besides the tantalizing dance of the fire. No answer. No sign of life.

"_KIM!_"

Nothing.

Lucifer whimpered next to her. His dark, green eyes looked exhausted, and his golden fur was starting to take the color of his black stripes. With wide sweeps of his maroon scorpion tail, he kept the creeping fire at bay from blocking their last exit.

Shego glanced behind her. The double doors leading to the stairs were only a few steps away. Climbing those stairs now would guarantee her safety, or more bluntly, her survival.

But right now, she was surprised to realize she didn't care about her life. She figured there might be some faint traces of radiation still fogging her brain and rational thinking because that was definitely not a very Shego-like thought.

Oh, how she wished she could revert to her selfish and greedy self. She wouldn't even be in this situation in the first place.

"Fuck it all," Shego muttered and scooped up DNAmy with one arm.

She practically tossed the limp woman onto Lucifer's back, causing Cheshire to scoot over to make space. Lucifer, not minding the extra weight, looked confused and tilted his large head.

Shego gestured wildly towards the exit, making sure she stared directly in his beady eyes so he understood her command. "Take those two and get out! Now!"

Lucifer flattened his ears, seemingly understanding what she said by the intensity of her movements. He looked at the Shego with pleading eyes as if he was begging for him to stay with her.

Shego growled like a rabid feral animal. Now wasn't the time for loyalty!

"You dumb litter box, get out! Go! _NOW!_" Shego barked, taking a threatening step forward while balling her fists. She even stood on her tiptoes even though the creature before her was much bigger.

Lucifer tucked his tail and bared his fangs, not out of aggression, but out of fear and anxiety. He stiffened and arched his back, almost causing the two bodies he was carrying to slip off.

"_GET OUT!"_ Shego snarled and out of frustration and desperation, punched his dry, pink nose. It wasn't a hard hit, just enough so he'd get the message. But as soon as her knuckles made contact with the big cat's sensitive muzzle, she felt an immediate wave of regret.

She quickly retracted her arm as Lucifer whined and backed away, his round eyes deeply saddened. Though she wanted to reach out and console the distressed creature, maybe even apologize for hitting him, the villainess kept her face stern and stance dominant. It was admittedly a hard thing to do.

Lucifer cast one last look at Shego before knocking down the thin doors and disappearing into the dark stairway. Seeing that he was gone, and thankfully safe, Shego spun on her heel and rushed head-first into the wall of fire.

It didn't matter that her entire body was still weak and unusually vulnerable due to the exposure of radiation. She had to remember that her skin wasn't as indestructible as it usually was to hot materials. With a grim expression, she sprinted into the blazing inferno as if she were invincible… or insane.

She took a giant leap and dove, striking the hot ground with an expertly timed shoulder roll. As soon as she jumped to her feet, her vision was flooded with vibrant hues of yellow ochre and sunset orange.

"_Kim! Where the hell are you?!"_ Shego shouted, coughing heavily afterwards. She was lucky her superpowered body was able to inhale larger amounts of carbon monoxide than the average human body. Otherwise, she would've already passed out. It was a miracle Kim was able to run for as long as she had.

The wounded thief charged deeper into the colossal fire, calling out Kim's name and looking for any sign of movement. Or rather, lack thereof.

It was getting harder to see with the thunderstorm-like clouds billowing through the cramped hallway. The stench dominated her every breath, and she could feel her eyes start to water through the thickening, increasingly unbreathable air.

Coughing with every drag of her heavy feet, she pushed back further until bright crimson hair stabbed her liquifying vision. Shego wanted to call out to her again, but she could barely find the strength in her to swallow.

A giant, horizontal support beam had somehow crashed, slowly engulfing the area in a frenzy of burning light.

Kim was underneath that beam.

Shego blinked and strained to steady her movements. She rushed over to find Kim laying on her stomach with her arms sprawled out in front of her. Her left leg was trapped underneath the heavy beam, and the villainess could see a dark pool of blood forming like a puddle in the rain.

Kim was barely conscious, and Shego would've assumed she was dead if it weren't for the slight fluttering of her eyelids.

"… Shego?" Kim murmured without lifting her head up, her breathing shallow and short.

"Kim… Stay awake… _Godammit!_" Shego growled as she lifted the beam and flung it away as if it were a toothpick. Part of Kim's cargo pants ripped off with the abrupt action, but that was the least of both of their worries.

Shego gently scooped the teen up bridal-style, careful to not touch her foot, and clutched Kim firmly against her chest. With the speed of someone who was literally running for their life, Shego dodged sudden explosions and fallen machinery as she swiftly waded out the thickest part of the inferno.

"Shego…?" Kim whispered again with her eyes closed. She could feel her light body being roughly carried, but it took too much of her draining energy to even lift her head.

"You're not even dead, and I still have to carry your deadass body out," Shego complained through grit teeth.

She did her best to protect Kim from the groping flames and sporadic sparks, but it was hard to even keep her eyes alert and focused straight ahead when she was tripping over her shaky feet.

The strangling air was now unbreathable and toxic, and it felt like the billowing clouds of smoke were grabbing Shego, dragging her backwards to be burned alive in the center of the chaos. They latched onto her weakening body like the metal restraints from when she was strapped down to DNAmy's examination table, ready to be cut open. She resisted the urge to gag as she strained against the fiery ropes.

Shego's chest felt like it was going to completely fail her. Her throat felt like she had just chugged an entire bottle of straight-up Vodka, and the throbbing in her head felt worse than any hangover she had ever had before.

The stinging tears that were pouring down her tense face evaporated almost immediately after they left her cherry-red eyes. Her bloodshot emerald orbs were fixated on the end of the brightly lit, flickering hallway, where their escape lay hopefully unscathed. Kim's arms slipped from around Shego's neck, and she could feel the teen's breathing getting weaker with every second.

"Don't you _dare_ die on me! Don't you even fucking think about dying!" Shego snarled desperately, her pursed, cracked lips tight with worry and anxiety. She couldn't even imagine how she would feel if Kim died in her arms…

_No! Stay strong or you're dead!_

Double doors that led to the stairwell came into view, igniting a spark of hope in Shego's heaving chest. Instead of speeding up, however, she slowed when the rumbling above her got dangerously loud.

The underground facility shook as more explosions, farther off, caused the ground above them to quake. Shards of the ceiling, followed by tumbling rocks and clumps of soil began to rain down as the ground shook more violently. The whole place was at risk of collapsing in on itself, burying Kim and Shego with it.

In the time it took for her to blink, she sent a silent prayer to any god up there and held a very-still Kim tighter. And seeing she only had a few more feet to clear before her sprint to safety, Shego conjured up her last thread of energy and broke through the restraints.

_I will SURVIVE._

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

The wailing of sirens pierced through the crisp, cool autumn air.

"Thank you for coming back- " Kim gasped for air like a fish out of water. Her chest felt like it was a cinderblock, dragging her 47 meters down to the ocean floor. Every time she inhaled, or tried to, it felt like she was choking and gagging on her own breath.

"Shut up… and let me fucking breathe for a second," Shego collapsed next to the doubled-over teen.

The stairs had led them to another hidden exit off to the side of the pet shop. They sat there supporting each other's weight, back to back, wheezing and coughing for the next few minutes. The sun was beating down on their burned, blistered skin, causing the pigment to redden more than it already has.

"I guess you could say we made it to hell and back," Shego coughed more strongly now that her body raced to heal itself.

Kim smiled and whispered as she finally found her voice, "You said I couldn't always be the hero… and you were right." She gently touched her head to Shego's. "Today, _you_ were."

"Just because I saved your floppy ass doesn't make me a hero. I'm never becoming one either. I did it for the brownie points and bragging rights. I'm still a badass evil villainess- I just took pity on a dumb kid," Shego huffed in defense, crossing her arms like a child in timeout.

"Uh-huh."

Shego grinned. "Although, I think I did you quite a large favor by saving your life. You owe me big-time."

"I saved you from when DNAmy locked you up, yet you don't see me gloating or keeping tallies of favors," Kim rolled her eyes.

"Did you already forget that I just saved your dying ass from the fiery pits of hell?"

"Isn't my thanks and deep gratitude enough for you?" Kim countered.

"Nope."

"Figures. Fine, what do you want?" Kim asked as she stifled a massive yawn. She could already feel her glazed eyes droop lower the deeper she breathed.

"I'll tell you later when you're not about to slump over like a drunken person," Shego snorted and straightened her posture so Kim could lean on her better.

The two exhausted girls sat there in the dry grass together for another minute or so as they tried to refill their lungs with fresh air. Kim's foot was caked in blood and ash, so it was hard to determine what condition she was in and if she could walk.

It didn't look like either of them had the energy to stand up on their own anyway. Though sirens and barked orders rang in the background, it was strangely peaceful as they listened to each other's shaky breathing.

"Shego?" Kim asked softly. She reached into her pocket to find the tiny microchip was still in its pristine condition, unharmed by her half-burned clothes. Stashing it back inside, she made a mental note to send it to Wade to have it examined.

"Hm?" Shego tried to match each strengthening inhale and exhale with Kim.

"I just wanted to say that I-"

Frantic stomping sounded from around the building, and Ron suddenly appeared. "KP! Shego!"

The blonde boy saw the two girls and charged towards them like a stampeding rhino. Following closely behind him were Monique and Dr. Director.

"I can't believe these kids came here and almost got themselves killed. Shego really is a bad influence on everyone she's around," Dr. Director muttered to herself under her breath.

The Global Justice Agent was already on her phone, dishing out orders and announcing the recovery of Kim and Shego.

"KIM! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Ron exclaimed with tears building up in his eyes.

"Ron!" Kim called, her voice still low and raspy from all of the smoke inhalation.

He tried to tackle the still-weak redhead with a crushing bear hug, and he would've probably squeezed the life out of her if Shego didn't stop him with a piercing glare.

"Back up, Stoppable! Give her some space, she almost died for fuck's sake!" Shego snarled as Monique and Dr. Director rushed to meet them.

"Shego, I'm fine," Kim calmed. "Ron, I'll give you a hug as soon as I can stand up."

"Okay, that's a promise though," Ron teased.

"Of course, I always keep my promises."

"Girlfriends, you had me worried sick! Don't you ever try to pull a stunt like that again or else I'll seriously hurt you if you die-" Monique gasped and pointed at Kim's ash and blood-clumped, shoe-less foot. "Kim! Honey, what happened to your foot?!"

"Jeez, that looks pretty bad," Ron grimaced, finally noticing it too.

"Oh, it's not as bad as it looks," Kim reassured with an endearing smile.

"More like not as good as it looks," Shego chirped, not wanting to turn around to look. She'd already gotten a nice front-row view anyway. She hoped Kim's foot wasn't too badly injured and was still functional.

"Hey, it's still attached to my body, like all of my other limbs, so that's good enough for me," Kim smiled through her sweat. Frankly, she didn't even know herself what state her foot was in. Her body still felt numb and achy from the severe lack of oxygen from a few minutes earlier.

"Well, foot or no foot, I'm just so happy you're not dead," Ron grinned and wiped away a dirt smudge on his sooty face.

"Uh hello? I'm not dead either," Shego chimed irritatingly.

"Oh yeahhhh, less happy about that, but I guess you're still here too," Ron said dismissively.

"Hey, go easy on her. She just saved my life you know," Kim said.

"She did?!" Ron and Monique asked simultaneously. Even Dr. Director raised her eyebrow at that.

"I know what you two are thinking. I'm not a hero or any of that type of shit so stop thinking it!" Shego blurted out before Kim could answer.

"I'd think it was _you_ who usually needs to be saved by KP," Ron answered.

"Excuse me?!" Shego squawked. "Listen up you little termite-"

"It doesn't matter who saved who. I'm just glad you're both still in one piece," Monique cut her off and exhaled a sigh of obvious relief.

Her thick, chocolate hair stuck up as if she were struck by lightning, and her face, much like Ron's, was dappled with soot and ash. Aside from dirt splatters and the pungent combination of wet pet food and melted plastic, Ron and Monique didn't look too hurt from Kim's perspective. She could only spot a few cuts and burns.

"Just barely, Mo," Kim attempted to laugh, but only getting as far as a sputter. "I'm glad you two are still in one piece as well."

"- thank you, oh and bring an extra stretcher," Dr. Director's gaze briefly shifted towards Shego from her walkie talkie. "- just in case."

"I'm not handicapped, Bets. I can walk just fine," Shego muttered under her short breath.

The leader of Global Justice flipped off her device and turned towards the two injured girls. She pretended like she didn't hear Shego's comment even though she very much had.

"I've just called for backup, my medical team is on their way to take you all to the hospital," Dr. Director informed, sweeping her gaze to land on the younger people around her. "Just hang tight, the ambulance should be here shortly."

"I'll just take a taxi. You can take these brats, but I don't need your dumb officers to help me," Shego scoffed exasperatedly. The large cut running down her forehead had started bleeding again, but the villainess didn't seem to notice, or mind, the steady stream of crimson trickling down her face.

"Shego, it'd be unwise to leave those wounds unchecked. They look pretty deep," Dr. Director said evenly.

"My body will heal itself in a few days with about 50 naps and 12 bottles of Advil," Shego waved her off.

"We're already going to the hospital, so you might as well get those cuts checked out. Don't want them to get infected," Kim murmured, shuddering slightly from the fresh memory.

"Pumpkin, I hate hospitals," Shego grumbled.

"I remember. You're okay with my mom treating you though, right?"

"I guess," Shego shrugged.

"Maybe we could go to the hospital my mom works at-" Kim suggested.

"I've already arranged to have us meet up with both of your parents there, Kim. I called them as soon as my team and I had controlled the fire Ron and Monique started," Dr. Director nodded at the steamy pet shop that looked to be in ruins.

"You guys started a fire too?" Kim asked, eyeing her best friends with a mirthful smile.

"On accident with Rufus's help of course," Ron replied cheekily.

"Stoppable actually did something useful? I think there still might be some smoke and toxic waste clogging my rationality. I'm hallucinating," Shego commented sardonically.

"Toxic waste?" Dr. Director rubbed her eye tiredly and sighed, "Shego, back up a few steps. So let me get this straight-"

"Betty, the only straight I am is _straight from hell_," Shego retorted.

"Shego now's _not_ the time for queer puns," Kim shook her head with dry amusement.

"There's never _not_ a time for queer puns, Princess," Shego said, admittedly feeling a little light-headed and dizzy. Maybe it would help to get her head checked out at the ER; she wanted to make sure she didn't lose too many brain cells from all of the radioactive fumes and smoke she'd inhaled.

The brunette snorted, expecting the typical sardonic response from Shego. "You can tell me your story once we get you treated and rested."

"That sounded like an order," Shego remarked.

"It was."

"Bitch move," Shego commented. "Anyways where's litter box 1 and 2? Oh and the other silly bitch?"

"Who?" Dr. Director asked, utterly confused.

"Lucifer, the giant scorpion tiger hybrid. And Cheshire, the now-big black shark cat hybrid. Oh and DNAmy," Kim translated.

"Cheshire was sent to the nearest veterinary clinic to get his leg treated. And DNAmy has been taken into custody along with her staff and anyone affiliated under her name or phony pet shop. She was unconscious when the tiger- I mean- Lucifer, brought her to Ron and Monique. So we will begin questioning her motives after she's been treated for her wounds," Dr. Director reported.

"I can't believe my tax money is being used for the drugs healing that psychopath," Shego huffed.

"Lucifer recognized me and Ron so we were the only ones who could tame him. He really scared all of the agents and staff up here," Monique smiled.

"I think he was more scared of Global Justice than they were of him," Ron added with a matching grin.

"Where is he now?" Shego demanded.

Ron frowned. "Last I saw he was playing with Rufus in the field over-"

As if summoned, a massive ball of fur crashed through the bracken and charged towards Shego. Ron shrieked and rolled out of the way, covering his face and neck on instinct.

"There's your giant kitty, Shego!" Monique laughed and wisely hopped back to clear a path.

Dr. Director screamed and narrowly jumped out of the deadly scorpion tiger's way as he barreled to a skidding halt.

A tiny naked mole-rat popped up from the top of Lucifer's head, and he scurried down as soon as he saw Kim.

"KP!" Rufus squeaked and fell into her lap to give her a hug.

"Aw, Rufus! I wanted to do that!" Ron pouted, crossing his arms over his chest to give himself a hug. The bubbly rodent scampered back to his owner and hugged him as well.

"Litter box! You're not dead!" Shego exclaimed gleefully and reached her hand out to touch the gentle beast.

Lucifer collapsed onto the prickly grass and rested his globe-like head on Shego's lap. He didn't even acknowledge anyone other than the superpowered thief. No one else mattered to him. He had obviously forgotten all about Shego hitting him earlier, which she still deeply regretted.

He rasped his sandy tongue over a large cut on the villainess's exposed thigh, cleaning away all the oozing blood and dirt around the gash. Lucifer tried to lick away the blood stained on Shego's face, but she hastily pushed his head away before she was covered in drool.

The mutant big cat's golden fur coat was now an ashen gray, causing his black stripes to meld with his main color. His sleek scorpion tail shone under the sun's rays, reflecting the warm hues off its inky-maroon exterior. There were some parts of his large body where the fur had been burned off, leaving behind rosy patches of skin.

As Shego stroked away the bits of debris tangled up in his long, striped fur, Lucifer immediately felt his dark green eyes droop. And it wasn't long before he was snoring into the young woman's flat stomach.

"He really likes you," Dr. Director gaped at the dozing creature who was just recently roaring and lashing at her officers.

"He's just a big dumb softie who seriously needs a bath," Shego replied disinterestedly. She didn't stop petting him though. "A ton of his fur burned in the fire so he smells like barbecue right now. And it is _not_ appetizing in the slightest."

"Oh!" Kim suddenly remembered something. "Wade was leading us out until I dropped my Kimmunicator into the fire. It burned before I could memorize our exit route."

"Princess here would've walked straight into the flames if I hadn't stopped her," Shego snorted disbelievingly.

"Aha, anyways Ron, could you please let Wade know that Shego and I made it out? And that we're all safe and heading to a hospital?" Kim requested.

"On it, KP," Ron gave a thumbs-up and pulled out his own Kimmunicator.

"Spankin', you're the best Ron."

Wade was beyond relieved to see that Kim and Shego had made it out alive. After talking to the computer genius for another minute or so, Kim felt the weight of what just happened crash into her. It was barely noon, yet she felt like she had just pulled an all-nighter and then ran a marathon. Shego shared her fatigue.

"Everyone. Medics are here and- Kim?" Dr. Director asked softly, noticing the teen hero was spacing out a bit. "Are you okay?"

The redhead had her eyes half-closed as she stared distantly at the incoming medics and Global Justice officers. They were rushing towards the small group with stretchers and nurses ready. Sirens, the clatter of medical supplies, and the thundering of boots filled her eardrums so that she could barely hear her own thoughts. Lucifer remained sound asleep through it all, calmed by Shego's therapeutic petting.

Kim leaned farther back against Shego, letting all of her weight slump onto the villainess, who without complaint, supported all of her weight.

"Kim. What happened down there?!" Will, who was leading the pack, commanded with a slight growl to his voice.

Kim flitted her gaze to look up at her friends and the crowd of Global Justice agents, taking a deep breath that her lungs very much appreciated.

She smiled softly from the soft thumps of Shego's strong heartbeat behind her. It was steady and made her own heart beat a little louder.

"Something unforgettable."

~~~~0~~~~0~~~~0~~~~

To be continued…

Stay tuned for Arc 2 of this story!

* * *

**Please review!**

**Your feedback helps keep the story going! :)**

Author's notes: Wow, ok. I have a lot to say so bear with me.

I finally got an Instagram where I post all of my art! Follow me there and say hello!: iycewing

I want to thank every single one of my readers for reading the first arc of my first multi-arc story! Like I said before, I'm not experienced in the slightest at writing fanfics, so it means the world to me that y'all are putting up with my inconsistencies and writing flaws. A big shoutout to my friend, Cynder, who's been helping shape this story; I love ya and thanks so much for all you've done with this first edition.

Please please please keep reviewing and let me know what you think of the story so far! The more feedback and reviews I get, the faster the Arc 2 will get out :0

The next arc will hopefully clear up any loose ends and unanswered questions so don't fret! Thank you all for reading, and stay tuned for the continuation of this story! :)


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